A Christmas Tale?
by spooksfan08
Summary: Beth can't believe Section D dont really celebrate Christmas. That has to change.With Ros/Lucas barely talking and a terrorist threat imminant will she get the spooks to the ball on time?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer Not mine, all things related to Spooks belong to Kudos and BBC TV. No copyright infringement intended. As with all my stories the following characters will appear. Harry, Ruth, Ros, Adam, Zaf, Lucas, Dimitri, Malcolm, Beth, Tariq and maybe even Jo. Basically all characters from 3.1 to 9.8 are fair game!**

**Grinches!**

Beth perched herself on the edge of Adam's desk as the rest of Section D began to arrive. It was rare that Beth was among the first to be there in the mornings. That honour was usually Harry and Ruth's. If she didn't know better she would have assumed they never left the Grid. Adam was beginning to ignore her as she began talking about the Christmas Rota. He had Christmas Day off for the first time in years and he was looking forward to spending the day with Wes, Carrie and his Mum who was coming down from Blackpool for a few days. Beth looked up as Ros almost waddled in to the Grid as the Pod doors closed behind her. No one dared mention the fact that Ros was now bigger than ever, with the start of her maternity leave imminent she was still as formidable as ever. Zaf waved slightly as he headed towards the coffee machine. Tariq yawned.

"Late night with the lovely Julie eh?" Zaf laughed as he waggled his eyebrows.

"Mr Younis do you have to be so uncouth?" Malcolm sighed.

"Yes" Zaf answered with a grin plastered across his face. Zoe rolled her eyes. It was three weeks to Christmas and she wasn't sure who was the most exited. Zaf or Emma. He certainly had the exuberance of a five year old.

"Nah" Tariq yawned again "Mum had the family over. Auntie Zanab, the cousins, everyone. Apparently it was because we hadn't seen them since Ramadan" Tariq rolled his eyes. He loved his mother dearly but knew when he was being set up. He didn't like it.

"So" Beth stated patiently. She smiled sweetly as Ruth and Dimitri exchanged glances. "Christmas"

"What?" Lucas asked. He was still reeling from the events of the last few months. He was lucky to still have a job, even though he was demoted let alone a wife and family. Ros still didn't trust him completely. Things were still rocky between them and he had the feeling if she hadn't been pregnant or if she hadn't believed him even a little the divorce she had talked about would be happening. It came down to the fact she didn't trust him. He didn't know if she ever would again. But he knew he had to earn the trust of his colleagues and friends again. It would take time.

"Christmas" Beth repeated "You know, midwinter festival, Yuletide hijacked by the ancient Christians to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. Generally occurs on the same date every December" She smiled cheekily. Dimitri shook his head.

"Oh yeah I remember that" Lucas deadpanned

"What about it Miss Bailey?" Harry emerged from his office. "Ros, we have to be in Whitehall in twenty minutes. The Home Secretary wants to see us." He pulled his coat on as Ros groaned. Ruth tried to suppress a smile.

"What do we do to celebrate? Come on there has to be something?" She looked expectantly at her friends and colleagues. "Come on this year we have something to celebrate, Harry and Lucas survived the investigation. We weren't disbanded" Harry smiled at the thought his junior officers thought him still being there was something to celebrate. The investigation in to the Syria and John/Lucas debacle had been a nightmare.

"What did you do last year?" Beth looked at the team, who were all beginning to get ready for the day ahead. Zoe shrugged.

"Stopped a bombing on London Bridge, arrested two known AQ operatives" Ros stated.

"No secret Santa? No party?" Beth was incredulous. She looked at Ruth who just shook her head, smiling. Harry noticed and returned the smile. It seemed Ruth was smiling alot more recently. It was almost like the clumsy, smily Ruth that had stormed in to the Briefing Room and stolen his heart was back.

"No party? No Christmas do where someone snogs someone completely inappropriate? No one photocopies their bum?" Beth was astounded. Harry shook his head and laughed.

"Beth, there is an annual Section Ball. If you want to go, I warn you now it is black tie and very best behaviour. The big wigs all go, including the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary. Personally I avoid it like the plague"

"Thank God" muttered Ruth.

"I do not believe it. You bunch of Grinches. Right, that is it. I am organising a Christmas do for Section D and you are all coming. Dimitri you can help. I do not care if we end up having the party here, you are all coming" Beth jumped off the desk as Dimitri looked slightly panicked.

"Why me?"

"Because you were the first person I set my eyes on. Don't argue" She flashed him a smile as he rolled his eyes. He could already hear Zaf and Adam laughing behind him. Tariq had the sense to keep quiet but couldn't help but smile as Malcolm rolled his eyes. The young woman was determined…

"Beth, I am on maternity leave from Saturday" Ros grabbed her jacket, hoping that this time she would actually get to rest before the baby arrived. Her maternity leave with Amy was curtailed.

"I don't care Ros" Beth answered "You are still coming. We've had a crap year after everything we need to let our hair down. Bring Amy if you must, same goes for Wes and Emma." She bit her lip as she watched them all stare at her. "Adam, bring Carrie if you want. Tariq" She turned as Harry interjected.

"Is not bringing the lovely Julie, she doesn't have clearance and I'm not fast tracking it so you can get some girl under the mistletoe. Right, Ros are you ready?" He glanced at the blonde who shot him a death glare. Shaking his head slightly he knew there was no point in arguing with Beth when she was like this. Christmas for Section D was going to be very different. He just hoped they actually got some time to enjoy it.

**AUTHORS NOTE: My first attempt at a happyish/Christmas story. After the end of series 9 I thought we needed some humor to cheer us up. Please let me know if there is any point in continuing with the story. There is a case here too. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Traditionalist**

Ruth had never really been a fan of Christmas. As a young child she had loved it. Two weeks off school and like every other child she loved the Carols and Nativity plays. Then her father had died and everything changed. She sighed as she remembered being sent off to Boarding School and hated every second of it, but as her mother had remarried and brought her step brother to live with her she had begun to hate any of the school holidays, finding any excuse she could to minimise her time at home. Her step brother had destroyed everything she had found comfort in and Ruth had known that no one had cared whether she was there or not. Then there had been Nico and George but that had been a lie and Christmas in the blazing heat and sunshine felt wrong somehow. She smiled sadly as she realised this was her second Christmas with Harry and his first as a grandfather. It was going to be better this year; it was going to be something special.

"Ruth?" Zaf rested his feet on the edge of her desk as she pushed them off, almost as a reflex action. "The file for Operation Safeguard?"

"What?"

"Have you finished with it?" Zaf laughed as she began to apologise before passing him the NO EYES file.

"You worried about this thing with Beth? Don't be. It won't happen. The most that will is a pub crawl, starting in The George. Same as every year" He smiled as he opened the file.

Ruth raised an eyebrow as Beth stumbled past half dragging/half carrying the tree she had been fighting with since Stan had called and demanded she get down to the foyer to explain herself. He wasn't happy. Ros sat at her desk open mouthed as she watched Beth fight with the oversized pine tree. It was clear that the tree was beginning to win the battle. It had been two days since Beth had announced she was organising Christmas and none of the team had actually thought she was going to go through with it. Dimitri laughed as Malcolm and Adam tried to rescue the blonde from the clutches of the tree as it finally gave up and fell with Beth pinned between it and the wall.

"Harry will go nuts" Zoe laughed as she walked towards the Pods. Ruth nodded; she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of a bedraggled Beth being rescued from a tree in the middle of Thames House.

"Don't laugh Pearce" Dimitri wiped his eyes as he caught his breath. He was trying to catch his breath as he tried to stop laughing. "She's got Secret Santa next!"

"No!" Ruth laughed

"Yes" Beth nodded as she crossed to her desk and pulled out a small paper bag filled with everyone's names.

"Everyone's names are in here. We all pick one, whoever you pick you buy a present for. £20 tops. Do not put your name on the card."

"Believe it or not, I have heard of the concept" Ros sighed as she pulled on her jacket.

"So, come on pick names" Beth held the small bag out. Ros rolled her eyes as she did as she was told. Ruth, Malcolm, Tariq and Dimitri did the same. Beth couldn't help but smile as Zaf and Adam both frowned at their pieces of paper before swapping them.

"We exchange gifts on Dec 23rd at the party" Ruth shook her head, pleased she had picked the name she had. She smiled at Beth, sometimes she reminded her of a young Jo. Her enthusiasm was just as infectious.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The atmosphere on the Grid changed as Harry returned. He glanced at the undecorated tree in the corner, wondering if they would ever have time to decorate it.

"Briefing Room NOW!" He barked as he turned and headed towards the Briefing Room knowing the team would be following him in seconds.

Lucas glanced briefly at Ruth as the Intel Analyst stood up and began to gather papers she had been working on. He was uncertain if he should say anything to her. He knew Harry blamed him for her having concussion back when Ashgrove and Vaughan had attacked her and Ros. Sighing he turned away, aware that Ruth had watched him. They had been friends once, but Lucas knew some betrayals were too much to get over.

Harry stood at the end of the Briefing Room table; it was the only room that had escaped Beth's enthusiastic decorating. He'd even found tinsel in his office, draped over his computer monitor when he had returned from Whitehall. He smiled slightly, he was currently working on the theory of if you can't beat them, join them.

Ruth walked in to the room and smiled slightly as she took her seat next to Adam. She knew something had happened but had no idea what. One look at Harry and she knew he had been arguing with William Towers again. She sighed; it was going to be a long night if the meeting had gone as badly as she thought it had.

"What happened?" Zaf threw himself in his chair.

"I have just returned from a meeting with the JIC and the Home Secretary" He stared as each of his team began to settle down. "GCHQ have picked up some intelligence that my colleagues have now only found it pertinent to tell us" He touched his forehead briefly as he wondered how to phrase the next piece of information. His team had never been so big but he didn't know how they were going to deal with what they were facing now.

"Such as?" Ros sighed. She had five days to maternity leave. _Five days, can't they give me a break?_ Ros fixed her gaze on the wall opposite from where she stood. Even now she rarely sat at the table, preferring to lean against the wall. Only Adam knew it was because she could see the computer smart board better and didn't have to wear her glasses.

"Such as the re-emergence of a group I thought I had seen the back of in my days as a field agent Ros" Harry sighed. "The Free Liberty Front" He shook his head "An extremist group that were more an annoyance than anything else" He glanced at Ruth as she briefly closed her eyes. She knew the _annoyance _was the cause of a number of scars that adorned his back. She knew that he would never tell the others.

"Why are they back?" Zoe spoke up for the first time.

"According to The JIC there is a suspected attack planned over the festive period." Harry sighed as Beth looked personally offended.

"Merry bloody Christmas" Zaf muttered.

"Quite" Harry snapped.

"I'll get on to GCHQ, see what Sam can tell me" Ruth sighed. Harry watched as Ros began allotting various tasks to the rest of the team. He suddenly felt very old. He had faced the FLF when he was 27. It was his first major case before Operation Renaissance. Shaking his head he realised at the time he had been just a couple of years younger than Dimitri. _Getting old Pearce he thought as he saw the rest of the team get up and leave the room._

_"Ruth" Harry stopped his wife as she reached the door of the briefing room._

_"Yes"_

_"These people, they want to cause maximum carnage at the worst possible time of year" He watched as she nodded._

_"I think Beth has taken it personally. I would not like to be part of this group when she catches up with them." Ruth smiled before crossing back to him "I'll give Sam Buxton a ring, see what she can tell me"_

_"Thank you" Harry smiled slightly as he stepped closer to her._

_"Might even invite her to Beth's party, for old time's sake" She watched as he raised his eyebrows._

_"We are going then?" Harry watched as Ruth shrugged her shoulders._

_"If you want to. I don't think you can get out of it actually" Ruth watched as he pulled a face. _

_"No maybe not" He pulled her into his arms as she glanced towards the now closed door of the briefing room. "I just hope this gets sorted before Christmas or before Beth Bailey can turn Section D into MI5's version of Santa's Grotto" He pretended to pout as Ruth looked up._

_"Um, she has been in here after all" Ruth pointed up to the ceiling. Harry frowned slightly wondering what Ruth could possibly mean. Following her gaze he spotted the small green plant with white berries hanging above them. He frowned slightly as he turned his attention back to her._

_"Well it is traditional" She bit her bottom lip._

_"Indeed" His voice was low "Don't let anyone say I don't respect tradition" Ruth's reply was cut off as his lips claimed hers._

**_authors note. More soon, thanks for the reviews._**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Ghosts of Christmas Past**

Beth was not impressed at all. She sat in the driver's seat of her pool car waiting for Dimitri to arrive. He was meeting with an asset who claimed to have valid information about the case Harry had brought to them that morning. She shook her head as she listened to Take That on the radio. The grey, miserable weather and the voices of Gary Barlow and Mark Owen did nothing to cheer her up. As far as she could see the terrorist threat was aimed at personally destroying her plans for a happy Christmas for Section D. Turning the radio off as she saw Dimitri leave the club he had entered thirty minutes earlier. Her eyes widened as she saw him say goodbye to a 6ft 6inch blonde drag queen in heels before he dodged the rain to join her in the car.

"Ok?" He smiled as he jumped in to the passenger seat.

"That is your asset?" Beth liked to think of herself as open minded but she just couldn't picture how a former SBS macho man ever meeting a drag queen. He smiled as he nodded once.

"Sienna Sapphire? Yeah what she doesn't know about the underworld isn't worth knowing. Known her since she was Kevin, my senior officer in the Regiment. Appearances can be deceptive Beth, you shouldn't be so quick to judge" He watched as her lips twitched in to the start of a smile. She froze as he leant across and pulled a pine needle from her messy blonde hair.

"Zoe will be waiting" Beth stared at him as he smiled at her. He noticed how she blushed a little at his touch. Smiling to himself as she started the engine he realised that she was still staring at him.

"Well?

"What?"

"Sienna Sapphire? What did she have to say for herself?" Beth turned the car back towards the café where they had left Zoe a little over an hour earlier.

"This group Harry told us about haven't been heard of in years. Ring leader was only released from prison last week. This must have been organised while he was inside" Dimitri slumped in the chair as Beth drove.

"And they pick now to make a comeback!" She hissed.

"In fairness Beth I don't think they did it to spite you. I don't think they realised you were planning a Christmas Extravaganza!" Dimitri stopped laughing as soon as Beth shot him a death glare. She did not see the funny side.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Argh! Bloody pine needles!" Ros glared at the offending tree as she brushed one solitary pine needle from her otherwise pristine jacket. Ruth looked up from her desk as she saw the Section Chief glare at the innocent pine tree sat in the corner.

"Ros" Ruth raised her eyes away from the computer "Are you ok?"

"I am always ok" Ros answered on reflex before turning to her friend.

"Not long until Maternity Leave though, a few more days and you'll have chance to rest" Ruth smiled as she clicked the mouse on her computer.

"Rest? With Amy running round like an idiot and Lucas acting guilty all the time?" She shook her head "I'd get more rest here"

"You and Lucas are ok now?" Ruth knew Lucas was genuinely sorry for what had happened. He should have at least told Ros and Harry about Dakar and why he had changed his name. It would have saved time and possibly lives. If Ruth could begin to forgive her friend she wondered whether his wife could.

"Lucas and I are still living in the same flat, Ruth" Ruth nodded, knowing that was the only explanation she was going to get. "We're working on things" She sighed as Ruth nodded.

"You'll be ok" Ruth smiled slightly "I know you, if you didn't think there was something worth saving you'd have kicked him out long ago"

"Ruth" Ros paused as she noticed someone had draped tinsel across her computer monitor. Glaring at the offending silver tinsel she pushed it off. "Lucas and I have to make it work don't we? Somehow for Amy and this one" She rested her hand on her abdomen. Ruth frowned slightly. Now she was more worried about her friend that she had been.

"Well there's the Christmas do to look forward to" Tariq joined them, dropping files in front of Ruth. She closed her eyes briefly _look forward _wasn't exactly the expression she would used to describe Beth's determination that they celebrate Christmas.

"Can I help you Tariq?" Ros snapped.

"Just finished with those files on the FLF you wanted Ruth. I think most of the stuff we have on them is in the paper archives in the Registry. I mean how far back to these idiots go?" He asked as the Pod doors whooshed open to allow Adam access.

"They started in 1970 but didn't really become a problem until the mid 1980s. No one really took much notice because the Falklands dominated the news in the early 80s and there was theTroubles in Northern Ireland" Ruth explained as Ros walked away to talk to Adam. He was to fill in for her as Section Chief and as much as she hated to admit it she had to bring him up to date on all the cases she worked on. Tariq saw his opportunity to speak to Ruth alone.

"That was all I could find on them in recent times"

"No problem, I'll go down to the Registry" She smiled as she pushed her chair away from her desk.

"Um, can I ask you something?" Tariq looked nervous.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, nothing really. You know this secret Santa thing Beth is doing? Well I don't know what to get the person I got. Can I ask your advice?" He looked younger than Ruth had remembered; sometimes she forgot how young he really was.

"Who did you get?"

"Malcolm"

"Oh" Ruth smiled. "That's easy. I think he'll like something from the Gadget Shop. Failing that anything mechanical he can take apart. Just think what you would like and then think about what you'd like when you get to the same age as Malcolm" Tariq smiled.

"Thanks Ruth, you're a star" She shook her head as she walked towards the Pods. She had the feeling she would be spending the rest of the day in the Registry.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas crossed the road outside Thames House. The rain had stopped but it was freezing cold. He pulled his coat tighter around him. The asset he had seen had been useful; he just hoped Dimitri, Zoe and Beth had been as lucky. He looked up to see Harry's car dropping him off at the kerb.

"Harry" Lucas called as the Section Head turned to face him.

"Lucas"

"I spoke to Terry Hopkins. Your former contact in the FLF" He fell into step next to Harry as they walked into the Foyer of Thames House.

"And?" Harry was cold, tired and extremely annoyed that a group he had nearly died to get put in prison were back to haunt him. He remembered the Christmas before Graham was born. He had wondered if he would ever see his son born. Now he wondered if he would ever get to see his grandson celebrate his first Christmas.

"And from what I heard it's a miracle you, Juliet and Connie survived it" He watched as the older man stopped.

"It was a long time ago Lucas. We all have things in our past that we would rather forget." He raised his eyebrows as he spoke. Lucas nodded, aware that he had spent along long time trying to hide his past from everyone he cared about.

"The FLF were more than the annoyance you told us all about in the Briefing Room" Lucas continued, he knew Harry was going to resent being pushed but the things he had been told by Terry Hopkins made him think they were facing a group just as deadly as the one that had been destroyed by Connie, Juliet and Harry so long ago. It seemed sad somehow that only Harry was left.

"As with everything we face Lucas, extreme caution should be used" Harry walked towards the lift that would take him to the Grid. Lucas sighed and followed him. He was worried about Ros and knew that if she thought he was trying to protect her all Hell would break loose. She was only five weeks from her due date and he was terrified something would go wrong.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth had been in the archive room in the Registry for at least an hour, her head buried in papers and old files as she read everything she could find on the FLF and the operation to stop them. She smiled slightly as she saw a black and white photograph of Harry looking impossibly young. It struck her how much Graham looked like him. He was thinner in the photographs and seemed to have the same air of confidence/arrogance that Adam had. She could see why he found it so easy to be popular with the ladies. She replaced the photo as she read Connie's field report.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry walked back into the Grid to be met with a now half decorated tree and fairy lights around some of the monitors. Lucas was behind him as he noticed Ruth's desk was abandoned but the computer monitor was still on and adorned by fairy lights. He couldn't help but smile.

"She's gone to the Registry" Malcolm answered his unasked question as he walked back to his work station from the coffee machine.

"Why?"

"FLF files, hardly any are on computer. The original case predates anything we have on the computerised system. There was one name that kept popping up, alongside your own as Senior Case Officer" Malcolm explained as Lucas left them both and walked across to Ros, Adam and Zaf who all appeared to be in deep conversation.

"Juliet Shaw and Connie James. Juliet was the Section Chief" Malcolm nodded as Harry spoke.

"Yes I know. Look do you remember a man called Craig Fisher?" Harry closed his eyes. He remembered the heavy set dark haired man well. He had spent a very memorable Christmas Eve in the man's company when he had really wanted to be home with Jane and Catherine. It felt like a lifetime ago. It was before he knew anything about Jane's infidelity.

"Yes Malcolm. Thank you" He turned and walked back towards the Pods.

"Harry" Malcolm called after him.

"If anyone calls I am in a meeting" He was out of the Pods before Malcolm could argue.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ruth remained seated at the table where she was working. Her note pad long forgotten as she read Harry's and Juliet's reports of what had happened to them when they had been working on Operation Liberty. There was no doubt Harry hadn't been telling the team everything there was to know about the FLF. She wiped a stray tear from her eye as she turned the page.

"Oh Harry" she whispered as she read the medical report. Now she knew how he had come by the scar on his back and she wanted to cry for him.

"Hello" Harry sat next to her, glad that the Registry's reading room was abandoned. Most of the other sections only required the computerised files that could be accessed via email. It was rare that the reading room was ever utilised by anyone other than Ruth.

"Hi" Ruth wiped her eyes quickly. She didn't want him to see she had been upset by what she had read.

"It was a long time ago. I think Juliet may have slightly over embellished what happened"

"She was a good agent" Ruth didn't like to think kindly of the woman Jo had nicknamed the Wicked Witch of Whitehall but it was true, as a young woman no one could have beaten her.

"In those days, she was the best" Harry smiled slightly as he covered her hand with his own.

"What you went through" She shook her head.

"Was a long time ago. We all survived. We put Craig Fisher in prison. We stopped him once, we will again. He's an old man now, like me" Harry squeezed her hand as his Yorkshire accent became more obvious.

"You are not old" Ruth smiled

"I'm a granddad" Harry watched as she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. He was sure he heard her mutter _Impossible man._ He chuckled as she opened her eyes to stare at him.

"Harry, this man was dangerous. He had no compassion. What he did was awful but what makes it even worse is that it happened on Christmas Eve. He knew you had a young child. He knew Juliet had a fiancé. Yet he did what he did, it was sadistic." Ruth bit her lip.

"Lucas and Dimitri have both spoken to contacts. He ruined one Christmas a long time ago. It was 1985. I will never forget it. Ever, but it's gone, over. He won't ruin Charlie's first Christmas. We stopped him once and we will again" He touched Ruth's cheek forcing her to look at him.

"I know" She leant into his palm as his thumb wiped away a tear.

"Now Ruth, tell me" She frowned as he seemed to change the subject immediately "Whose name did you get for the Secret Santa?"

She shook her head as he spoke. "Harry, there are some secrets a girl has to keep to herself" She laughed as he stood and pulled her closer to him.

"Really? Well you know I have ways of making you talk" She laughed as he pulled her into a passionate kiss that made her forget what the question he asked was.

**author's note. Not sure about this. Please let me know what you think. Will Beth manage to get the party she really wants Section D to have? Will Harry and Ruth get to leave the Grid for Christmas? Is Craig Fisher really such a threat? Is Ruth right to be worried and what will happen with the Secret Santa? More soon xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Christmas Spirit**

Zoe walked along the corridor towards the Grid. She had spent the last half hour listening to Dimitri and Beth bickering as they walked along in front of her. Both arguing the merits of Dimitri's contact and the information Sienna Sapphire had given them She smiled as she thought about the source of their information. Richard had been a good officer but had decided that military life wasn't for him. Admittedly the jump from SBS Officer to Drag Queen wasn't really a logical career path but as Sienna he seemed happy. She listened as Dimitri explained exactly how Sienna had come by the information. Beth seemed oblivious to Zoe as she continued to argue good naturedly with Dimitri who was insistent his asset was reliable. It was clear as far as Zoe was concerned that there was definite chemistry between Beth and Dimitri. It seemed they were the only two that didn't see it. Zoe let the couple walk away from them as she saw Zaf walk around the corner.

"Hi" He smiled.

"Hi" Zoe turned as she saw him look down at his feet. "What's wrong?"

"Adam and I have an address to check out. Seems Dimitri's contact was right, this Craig Fisher character is staying in Stepney. We have to check it out. I won't be able to come round tonight." Zaf looked genuinely disappointed

"Hey" She stepped closer to him. "It's fine, look if you want you can come round later. Or if it turns in to an all nighter I'll buy you breakfast" She bit her lip as his face lit up.

"It's a date" He kissed her cheek as she blushed. "C'mon Harry wants us all in the Briefing Room in the next ten minutes" He walked away as Zoe rolled her eyes and followed him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam stared at the toy Christmas tree that was now sat on top of his desk. The small toy was obviously part of Beth's efforts to make the place a little more festive. At that moment he felt anything but festive. He opened his desk drawer and deposited the offending toy in the draw where he couldn't see it before slamming it shut. He looked up to see Ros raise her eyebrows at him

"What?"

"The location for Craig Fisher"

"What about it?"

"Take a back up team. The more I think about it the more I think this is more than just a random attack. He's been in prison since 1987. The case took almost two years to go to trial, after psychiatric reports and everything. He initially attacked Harry and Juliet at Christmas didn't he? I mean you have read the reports" Ros waddled over to him. Her back was killing her and she knew there was more to this case than she had been told.

"Yeah. Seems the group started vandalising family planning clinics and attacking doctors and nurses that work there" Adam leant back in the chair as Ros perched on the edge of Zoë's desk.

"Yes but it wasn't until the pro-life groups began to pressurise the Tory government that these idiots started getting really nasty, using the legit campaigners as a cover they bombed an abortion clinic in the West Midlands, killing a medical student and causing an outcry. Harry and Juliet were undercover. Both were abducted and tortured." Ros watched as Adam nodded.

"It was Christmas week" He answered.

"Yes" Ros closed her eyes as Malcolm joined them.

"Ah yes" He replied as both blonde spooks turned to him. "I wasn't working here then. Only ever been a technical officer but it was well known what went on in Court" Malcolm looked angry as he spoke. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "In those days I had just moved to London from Wales. I was working in product design. IT was we now know it was nonexistant"

"What went on Malcolm?" Adam was beginning to get annoyed. What he thought would be a straightforward arrest was turning out to be far more complicated.

"When the judge found him guilty under several sections of the 1975 Anti Terrorism Act he turned and yelled at Harry."

"So?" Ros folded her arms as she tried to concentrate on what Malcolm was telling them. It was proving more and more difficult as her abdomen began to hurt. The cramping pain informing her that the baby was not happy with her staying still so long. She shifted uncomfortably as Lucas crossed to her.

"You ok?" He stared at her as she nodded once. Her hand rested on her swollen abdomen.

"Go on Malcolm" She ignored Lucas as Adam raised his eyebrows sympathetically.

"So its not so much that fact that he shouted. It is what was said." Malcolm pinched the bridge of his nose as Ros stared directly at him.

"He said that there was time. He'd be watching and waiting. When Harry was happy, when he was really happy he would be back."

"So almost thirty years ago this nutter threatened Harry. Now what?" Lucas frowned.

"Harry is happy, for the first time in a long time he has some happiness in his life. Now Fisher is back" Malcolm watched as all three field agents stared at him. The sound of the Pod doors whooshing open startled them all as Ruth returned. She looked more subdued than any of them had seen her in a long time. Adam sighed as he walked across to his friend. The rest of the group began preparing for the meeting. The Christmas festivities had all but been forgotten. It was only as Adam reached Ruth's desk and Lucas and Ros began to discuss the case that Malcolm opened Adam's desk drawer and retrieved the toy Christmas tree.

"Ah Miss Bailey, you'll get your party" He smiled as he replaced the tree on the desk. He smiled slightly as he remembered the Booze Cruise Colin had insisted they all go on to get cheep alcohol for the Christmas party. It seemed that once again, after all these years there was at least one member of Section D that wanted to keep the Christmas spirit alive.

xxxxxxxx

Ruth saw Adam cross the Grid as she walked to her desk. She didn't want to talk to him but knew he hadn't seen her so down in a long time. It was easy to see she had been crying.

"Ruth" Adam started as he reached her desk. She turned her facr away from him as she turned to her computer.

"These files are too old. They don't really give us any new information. Connie was a good analyst. Probably better than me, she didn't miss anything. The only thing I can see from these files is that Fisher and those that helped him were absolute monsters"

Adam nodded, he knew Ruth didn't want to talk about how she was feeling so down. He touched her forarm, forcing her to look at him as Beth and Dimitri could be heard chatting away at her desk. Snippets of conversation involving tinsel, secret Santa and alcoholic punch could be heard as Ruth sighed.

"Zaf and I have an address for Fisher, the Bail Hostel he is supposed to be staying in. We're going to go round there after the meeting" He turned on the charm smile as Ruth nodded.

"Be careful" Ruth's eyes widened as she remembered snippets from Juliet's field report. She knew Harry was now the only member of the original team that had investigated Fisher and the FLF that was still alive and on active service. Connie had died before she had returned and Ruth knew Juliet was still in rehab following a gunshot wound to the head. He was the only one Fisher and the FLF could possibly know anything about.

"Adam" Ruth felt the panic rising. "We may have a problem. I really am not sure but we could have a serious problem"

Adam nodded once, knowing if Ruth was going on gut instict, then the chances were she was probably right.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry sat in his customary place at the head of the Briefing Room table. The piece of A4 paper that had arrived on his desk a few hours earlier was sat on the table in front of him. It looked almost innocent to the casual observer and could have come from any student's A4 notepad. It made him feel sick. It was happening again. Craig Fisher had told him this day would come and he'd been nieve enough to believe it was the ramblings of a madman angry at being put in prison. It seemed that Fisher was being true to his word. He reread the message again before throwing the paper on to the table. He looked up as he heard Ros and Lucas talking. It sounded like they were actually being civil to each other and Harry began to hope they were finally beginning to get back on track. He hoped they weren't making the same mistake as he had with Jane. Staying together for the sake of the children never really worked, Catherine and Graham were perfect examples of that._ Oh God, how to I keep them safe? How do I protect Graham, Catherine and the baby? How can I keep Ruth from getting hurt? Stop the team from getting in any more danger, stop them going through the same Hell Juliet and I did?_ His mind was made up. Before Ros could open the door to the Briefing Room Harry had stood and slipped quietly out the side door and away from his team.

"Ok, where's Harry?" Lucas addressed an almost empty room.

"Don't know" Ros caught Ruth's worried expression as she spoke.

Ruth remained silent as she crossed to the table and picked up the paper. The colour seemed to drain from her already pale face. Handing the note to Ros as the others began entering the Briefing Room she stared silently at the piece of paper willing herself not to cry. Carefully cut from newspaper and in different typefaces the words spelt out exactly what Ruth and Harry had feared the most.

**"HAPPY XMAS! i'M HAPPY HOPE YOUR HAPPY2. C U SWN OLD FRIEND"**

"Shit" Adam stared open mouthed as Beth swore. Somehow the few decorations that had made it in to the Briefing Room seemed horribly out of place. Ros rested her hands on her hips as she sprang into action, issuing orders to the team as Ruth remained almost catatonic.

"All other lines of inquiry are on hold. Adam you and Zaf get down the Bail Hostel find Fisher" She turned as Dimitri ran a hand through his short hair. "Our priority is getting Harry back. That is it. Find Craig Fisher and find out what the hell he thinks he is playing at. This ends before anyone gets hurt"

Ros looked across to Ruth whose eyes were fixed on the paper in front of her.

"We will find him" Ros stated as Ruth nodded once briefly.

"There were no notes in the 1980s" She was straight into work mode.

"We will find him" Ros repeated.

"Ruth?" Lucas had already made his mind up to look after the Intel Analyst as much as he could. He still felt guilty for letting her down so badly after everything with Vaughan.

"Harry's gone dark" Adam stated as Zoe closed her eyes.

"He'll be back. He wouldnt go after Fisher alone" Ros stated.

"No" Ruth sighed as she looked out of the Briefing Room door. "Harry is on his own"

**authors note. Is Harry ok? Has he really gone after Fisher? More fluffydrama next time. Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine (oh Henry Parks and Nurse Ellie are mine)**

**Visiting Time**

Harry walked along the cold tiled floor of the hospital as he thought about the woman he was going to visit. He had to warn her Fisher was out. It didn't seem fair, despite everything that she didn't know that he was out. He had known Juliet Shaw most of his adult life and was surprised at the fact that for once he didn't really know what to say to her. So much had happened since the original operation, since Connie had created what they had believed to be watertight legends. Now, with the benefit of hindsight he wondered if she really hadn't been selling them out even then. After all he reasoned it had happened shortly after Operation Renaissance and Operation Omega. He'd had nightmares about being beaten to a pulp and hearing Juliet scream. Nearly thirty years later he still had them. He still didn't really know what had happened to her, out of a mix of respect and fear he had never read the report she had submitted when they were finally rescued by Henry Parks and his team. He shook his head it was a lifetime ago, yet it seemed to be happening again. Twenty four years ago he had been frightened he would never see his daughter's first Christmas and the birth of his youngest child. Now he was afraid he wouldn't be there for Charlie. He smiled as the young nurse, no older than Catherine walked out of Juliet's room with an exasperated sigh.

"Hello Mr Pearce" She smiled. The tinsel in her hair reminded him it was now less than two weeks until Christmas. For a moment he wondered if he would get to give Ruth her present.

"Hello Ellie" He returned the blonde girl's smile. "Is she behaving herself?"

"Miss Shaw is the same as ever" Ellie smiled.

"Ah, I'll take that as a no then" He watched as Ellie raised her eyebrows before walking off to tend to other patients in the rehab unit.

Harry watched the young woman walk away. He felt slightly sorry for her knowing how Juliet's temper had only got more explosive with age and experience. He sighed as he pushed the door to her room open.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf didn't like the thought that his boss had gone off on his own. Ros had done it once and that had almost ended with her being killed. The fallout from that had been a nightmare and he didn't wish to repeat the experience. He sat quietly next to Adam as his friend drove to the address in Stepney.

"Zaf" Adam didn't like it when Zaf was so quiet. It usually meant something was bothering the younger man.

"Yeah?"

"This Fisher character" Zaf started as they passed the shops covered in twinkling fairy lights and fake snowmen. "I don't think he can be working alone. I mean all this happened over twenty years ago. He's got to be what? Harry's age by now"

"Harry isn't that old" Adam smiled slightly. Unlike Zaf, Adam knew exactly what Harry was capable of. He knew about how ruthless he could be when it was absolutely necessary.

"I know but Fisher has been in prison since 1987. I mean what would he know about the outside world? Someone has been helping him. Got to have been mate" He watched as the winter sun began to set. Adam nodded once; he knew his friend was right.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth glared at the computer screen as she went through the prison records for Craig Fisher. It seemed he had only had three visitors. His daughter Claire, his ex wife and a man named Ricky Mitchell. His daughter had only visited once in 1992 and had no contact with her father since then. The records showed she was the same age as Catherine. She had visited when her mother Diane had taken her to the prison. It had been the first and last visit. Ricky Mitchell was more frequent in his visits. She highlighted his name as Zoe crossed the Grid to her.

"Hi" She smiled as she leant on her desk.

"Zoe I am busy" Ruth really didn't want to be distracted, she knew her friend was only trying to help.

"I can see that. Look Ros wants an update when she gets back. She and Lucas have a lead and I think Beth and Dimitri have something. Malcolm is going through all the footage from the surrounding area's CCTV and Tariq is searching through all the frequencies we have for the tracking devices. We will find him" She rested a hand on her friend's arm as Ruth nodded.

"I know we will. Look this is Harry we are talking about." Ruth finally turned away from the screen to face her. "He knows exactly what he is doing. He just doesn't have all the facts."

"What?"

"There is no way Craig Fisher is the only one of the FLF still in circulation. This man" Ruth pointed at the computer screen displaying the image of Ricky Mitchell "was never arrested, but he kept in contact with Fisher."

"You think he was one of the FLF?"

"No I don't think so. I know he was. Mitchell wasn't arrested in the UK but he did go to prison in Ireland. He served two years for GBH and Assault. He hit a Catholic priest so hard he put him in a coma for three days. The poor man is still brain damaged to this day" Ruth watched as Zoe shook her head. "I'd bet money on the fact that it was Mitchell that built the bomb for the abortion clinic in 1984. It fits his profile. He has form for possessing equipment to build a bomb" Ruth watched as Tariq crossed the room to them.

"Any luck?" Zoe turned to him as he shook his head.

"Nah, not yet. Harry knows the score" Tariq shrugged as Ruth nodded.

"Harry will be found when he is ready to be found" She smiled briefly at Tariq; she didn't want him to blame himself. "Infact Tariq, can you run a search on Ricky Mitchell for me? I know he was in prison in Northern Ireland in 1989 for eighteen months. It's his location now that I am interested in" Ruth watched as Tariq nodded.

"Yeah ok" He was glad to be given a task he knew he could accomplish. He looked up to see Malcolm watching the computer screen intently.

"So. Fisher seems to be the ringleader?" Malcolm asked as Ruth and Zoe nodded. "For someone who has been in prison for the best part of twenty years he certainly knows how to avoid CCTV. There is nothing on him for the Greater London area." Malcolm was beginning to get very frustrated.

"No but if Fisher is going to finish what he started then he is going to need help. Even then the FLF was a small but very determined group of people" Ruth didn't want to think what would happen if her husband found them before Section D did.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry stood in the doorway of Juliet's room. He had to admit she looked more like her old self. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. The only indication it was the festive season was the solitary card displaying a snowman in the corner. Her niece Susan was the only member of her family that kept in touch.

"Hello Harry" She stared as Harry raised his eyebrows. She was dressed in a green oversized jumper and black jeans. Her crutched at her elbows while her black hair seemed to have grown back over the area which had been shaved following her brain surgery.

"Juliet, we need to talk"

"Not just a social call then" She turned and made her way back to the window, watching as the rain lashed the hospital grounds.

"Remember the FLF? Craig Fisher?" Harry kept his voice low, almost gentle. He had no idea what Juliet could and couldn't remember after her attempted suicide. The gunshot may only have glanced the temporal bone but there had been significant short term memory loss. He had been surprised when she had asked if he knew how Ros was and whether he had ever asked Ruth to go to dinner with him. It was like the entire Yalta debacle had been ripped from her memory. Harry wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"Christmas, early 1980s. We were undercover when that…" She closed her eyes as the memory came to the fore of her mind. Harry waited, her speech was still a little slow these days, although her words still carried the same force when she needed them to.

"Yes" Harry stepped forward "He was released from prison last month. No one thought to tell me until last week. I am so sorry Juliet" Harry sighed as she snapped her head towards him.

"Sorry? What the hell have you got to be sorry for this time?" Juliet almost spat the words but the venom wasn't really behind them.

"He's coming after me. Connie is dead as you know but I wanted to warn you. He could come after you too. I asked that extra security be placed on the rehab unit" Harry watched as Juliet rolled her eyes. He knew if it wasn't for the crutches she would have folded her arms, as defiant as ever. Even so the determination in her eyes reminded him of the time she had insisted he gave her the same security clearance as Adam. She had fought him since the day they had met. Once he had found that attractive, now he found it frustrating.

"Thank you but I think as someone who was supposed to be a terrorist and traitor; although I have no recall of events the extra security would have been refused. Look Harry, you remember he yelled at you in court? I was already outside. They wouldn't let me in the public gallery. I was too disturbed apparently" She scoffed. "It isn't you and me they will come after is it? Think about it Harry"

Juliet watched as Harry seemed to pale in front of her. He realised what she had said. Fisher had a child the same age as Catherine. He had been put in prison when the girl was less than two years old, roughly the same age as Amy. He sighed. It wasn't him that was in danger, it wasn't Juliet. Fisher was after revenge, he wanted to take away the things that Harry and Juliet had taken from him. His family and freedom.

"Thank you" Harry kissed her briefly on the cheek as Juliet nodded. "Take care, and contact your Susie. I'll come to visit nearer Christmas yes?"

"Stop the bastard. Don't let him win" Juliet answered as Harry nodded once before leaving the room. He pulled his mobile from the inside jacket pocket and called the only person he knew would answer his calls immediately.

"Ruth. It's me"

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros sat in the car as she waited for Lucas. He knew he was as worried about their boss as she was. Harry had made a lot of enemies over the years but Fisher genuinely seemed dangerous. She rested her hand on the handle of the car door as she wondered if she should go to look for her husband. She watched through the car windscreen as she spotted him cross the road to her, clearly soaked by the rain.

"Got it" He smiled as he got in to the driver's seat.

"And?" Ros answered.

"Henry Parks was in Harry's job when the FLF first became a problem. I just spoke to Anil in the newsagents. I think we should pull him in" Lucas sounded worried. Ros nodded, she couldn't stop herself from resting her hand on his.

"He's got to be at least 70" Ros watched as he turned to look at her. His dark eyes seemed to reach right in to her. It had been two months since she had found out about Albany and Vaughan. She wanted to trust him, she really wanted to be proved wrong. For the first time since he had found her in the basement she saw a glimpse of the man she had married as he looked at her. _Am I being an idiot to even think it?_ She wondered as she held his gaze.

"I know but if Fisher is going after Harry, who basically was the Senior Field Officer in those days doesn't it make sense that he would go after the Section Chief and the Section Head?" Ros closed her eyes briefly.

"Oh God" She took a deep breath "It isn't just Harry is it? Juliet Shaw was Section Chief and Henry Parks was Section Head"

"Yeah"

"Shit, we better make sure they know" Lucas nodded as he started the car.

"Oh Ros?" She glanced at him as they pulled out in to the rush hour traffic.

"What?"

"Are you ever going to tell me who you got for Secret Santa?" He saw the sly smile creep on Ros' face as she stared out the window.

"Shut up Lucas" She answered as he smiled at her.

"Yes Ros" She closed her eyes as she heard the smile in his voice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth walked along the wet, windswept street as Dimitri jogged to catch up with her. He called her name as she stopped and turned to him, her blonde hair blown in to her face.

"Dimitri, hurry up" She smiled good naturedly as he reached her.

"You know, this info Ruth had Tariq dig out might actually be worth looking into" He watched as she raised her eyebrows.

"It's Ruth. It's been analysed to hell, of course its worth looking at" Beth stared at him. He laughed as she defended her friend.

"Hey, wasn't having a go at Ruth. But it does seem as if we were looking in the wrong places doesn't it? A decent lead and we may have the culprits in prison before Christmas and you'll get to play at being Mrs Claus" he laughed as she stormed off.

"You don't get it do you? You just don't get it" She shook her head as she marched away, her trainers getting soaked by the rain as Dimitri just wondered what he had done wrong.

"Beth! Wait" He ran after her as disgruntled shoppers stepped out of his way. He accidentally hit his shin on the heavy shopping bag of one middle aged woman, much to her disgust.

"What? What is it I don't get?" He grabbed her and turned her to face him. The rain now soaking them both.

"It's stupid. I'm being stupid. I never should have started this Christmas thing" She knew she sounded like a sulky teenager as she shrugged his arms off her shoulders.

"Yeah you should. The Grid could do with a little lightening up" He dipped his head as she glared straight at his jacket.

"Yeah, well" She shrugged as she tried to regain her composure. "I worked alone for ten years. I know it was my choice to be in the private sector and after my parents died it seemed the best thing. Get away from everyone but ten years to sit and ignore Christmas is a long time. I haven't been part of a team for a long time and I just thought it would be nice to celebrate for once"

"It is. You think spending the last decade worth of Christmases in a submarine with eleven other sweaty macho men is my idea of a good Christmas?" He pulled a face as Beth laughed.

"Oh I dunno" She winked as he looked horrified.

"You want Christmas Miss Bailey, Christmas you will have" He hugged his friend briefly as they walked back to the car. "Just got to find our boss, stop Ruth freaking out and put a few terrorists behind bars and then we get to party" He laughed as Beth pulled her car keys from her pocket.

"Easy then?"

"Yup, no problem"

**author's note. Thank you for the reviews. Is Dimitri right? Will they get to the party in time? What happened when Ruth answered the phone and will Henry Parks agree to help? More soon. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine. **

**Alright?**

Ros walked back on to the Grid to see the place deserted apart from Ruth, Tariq and Malcolm. She sighed heavily as she walked towards Malcolm's desk. She knew if they didn't find Harry soon she didn't know what was going to happen to the team, never mind the Intel Analyst who had been strangely quiet since they had found out Harry was missing.

"Ah Ros" Malcolm looked up as she sat down beside him.

"Malcolm, do you remember Henry Parks?" She watched as he nodded.

"Yes, Henry was the original Section Head for Anti Terrorism. He practically invented the training. A good man. He retired back to his native Newcastle in 1989. He trained Harry. Has to be at least in his late 70s by now." He smiled as he remembered the friendly old man.

"You know he is Catherine's other Godfather?"

"No" Ros smiled slightly and shook her head "No I didn't know that. While you are talking about Godparents, how do you feel about repeating the experience with this little one? You and Sarah?" She watched as Malcolm smiled broadly.

"I would be honoured" He smiled "I can't speak for Sarah of course"

"I'll ask her at the Christmas party, if that's ok?" She smiled. Malcolm had been a good friend to her and was one of the few people she would ever back down from in an argument.

"Of course it is"

"Can you find Henry Parks? I think he may be a target" She watched as Tariq returned from the kitchenette chatting to Zoe as he opened yet another can of red bull.

"I don't need to find him. I have his telephone number and address" Malcolm watched as Ros raised her eyebrows. "How else do you think he knew how to keep an eye on Zoe and the boys when they were in Newcastle looking for weapons a few months ago?"

"I should have known" She shook her head as she walked across to Ruth who appeared to be in deep conversation with someone on the phone. "I should have known" Malcolm laughed slightly as he pulled his mobile from his suit jacket and dialled the familiar number.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Yes I'll call them" Ruth sighed as she listened to Harry on the other end of the phone. Ros leant against the edge of Zaf's desk as Ruth kept her eyes fixed on the computer monitor in front of her.

"Harry, everyone is either here or on their way back. Ros has ordered that locating you takes top priority but they all seem to be able to tell people where they are going." She bit her lip as Harry answered her. "I said I'll call the kids and I will. Please, Harry just get back here" She blushed as she knew Ros was listening. She just hoped the Section Chief didn't hear him tell her he loved her.

"So, I'm guessing I can call the search party off?" Ros watched as Ruth nodded. She was a deep shade of crimson as she finally turned to acknowledge the blonde spook. "Thank God"

"Yeah, look I need to ring the kids" She watched as Ros nodded.

"Do I need to be worried about Amy? Do I warn Zoe and Adam about the kids?" Ros glanced across as Lucas entered the Grid, chatting to Tariq about something she couldn't quite catch.

"No. I think it's related to what happened with Harry and Juliet years ago. I just need to check that they are ok. You know what Graham is like for finding trouble" She sighed.

"Like his father" Ros answered "Ok, if anything changes. If there is even a sniff that Amy, Wes and Emma are a target I need to know. Understood"

"Understood" Ruth answered as she picked up the phone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Yup" Graham answered on the third ring.

"Where are you?" Ruth asked. "Why isn't Catherine answering the phone?"

"Um, what's wrong?" Graham answered as he locked his fiesta and walked up the steps to his father's house.

"Stop evading the question Gray, this is important" Ruth snapped.

"Ok. I just got out the car. I'm at yours. Look I just got off the phone from Dad. He's in a right state about something. Said we had to get to your place and stay there. Honest, I wouldn't mind, your telly is better than mine, but I had a date tonight" He sighed as he rang the doorbell. "Said Catherine was already here."

"Forget the date. She'll wait if she's worth it. Just tell me Catherine and Charlie are ok and you are really at my place" Ruth bit her bottom lip. She could hear Scarlet barking in the background and sighed with relief as a baby could be heard crying. Graham could be heard telling his sister that Ruth was stressing and to talk to her.

"Hi!" Catherine sounded exasperated. "I didn't answer because I was mid nappy change. Not something you can abandon with boys. When are you home? Is Dad ok? I fed Scarlet and the cats" Ruth laughed, wondering for a moment if that was what she was like when she rambled.

"Later, yes and thank you. Stay there. We'll be home as soon as we can. Oh and do me a favour? Hide the present I bought for Harry. It's in the kitchen in the cupboard. I don't want him to find it. You know what he's like" She heard her step daughter laugh as she hung up. _Maybe things will be ok? Just maybe, this time._ Ruth couldn't help but smile as the Pod door whooshed open to allow a rain soaked Beth and Dimitri to enter the Grid. Ruth looked up to see the pair walk in. Beth looked slightly different to how she had looked before her and Dimitri had gone out to see the asset. Dimitri smiled as he shrugged his jacket off.

"Hi" Beth smiled as Ros and Zoe looked up. "What did we miss?"

"Could ask you the same question" Zoe laughed as she headed towards the kitchenette. Dimitri frowned as Tariq passed him a piece of paper.

"Boss alive then?" He asked as he read the list on the piece of paper.

"Yeah. That's the alcohol we need for the party" Tariq explained as Dimitri threw the paper on the desk and shook his head.

"No, we are not having it here. Well not all of it anyway. The rest of it will be at the George" Dimitri watched as Tariq pulled a face.

"You weren't here last year" He shook his head.

"No I was under the North Sea with eleven other sweaty miserable men." He frowned at the memory.

"We didn't get out of here until almost Boxing Day. Trust me; we have to at least start it here. We can't have another Christmas like last year" He shook his head as Harry could be heard shouting across the Grid. Their Section Head looked slightly dishevelled as he addressed the group.

"Thank you all for your concern but I have just heard from Zaf. Craig Fisher has been arrested. They are on the way back to Thames House. So, thank you for all your efforts. Go home, get some rest and be back here for 9 am tomorrow" Harry watched as the mixture of field officers and desk spooks made their way out of the Grid as he crossed to his office. Ruth rolled her eyes as she stood up and followed him. She knew it wasn't going to be as easy as he had just led them all to believe.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He closed the door to his office behind him and poured himself a very large scotch. The news that Fisher was under arrest was a relief. Apparently Zaf and Adam had caught him on the way back to the Bail Hostel. He had been too easy to find and too easy to arrest. Harry sighed, at least all his team were safe for the night. He smiled as he heard the door to his office open and close. He knew exactly who had walked in to his office unannounced.

"Ruth" He smiled.

"You scared me" She shook her head.

"I didn't mean to. I was trying to protect you" He turned to face her.

"I know. You can't protect us all, not all the time. I read those reports. I know what he did to you and Juliet. I don't like the woman but it's a miracle she survived" Ruth leant against the office door as Harry walked across to her.

"Let's go home" He closed his eyes as she nodded slightly before reaching up and kissing him. "Mistletoe in here too?" He muttered as she rolled her eyes.

"No, no need in here" She smiled as he stepped back.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zoe walked away from the darkened bedroom where Emma was sound asleep. Her favourite teddy wedged under her arm. Sighing slightly she watched as Zaf walked towards her.

"Not an all nighter then?" She wrapped her arms around him neck as he wrapped her arms around her waist. He shook his head.

"No, but I might still let you buy breakfast" He kissed her as she pulled back.

"Cheeky sod" She laughed as he nodded.

"Yeah but you love me" He whispered as she rested her forehead against his.

"God help me but I do" Zoe sighed as he kissed her again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth stared up at the ceiling. It was rare to get home before midnight and it was even rarer to find both her step children had done as she had asked. They had even got the Christmas tree down from the attic and trimmed up. The living room looked like something from Santa's grotto. She smiled to herself, remembering Harry's slightly bemused smile as he saw the 6ft tree complete with tinsel and baubles. Sighing she rolled on her side to find the space where her husband should have been sleeping was empty.

"Harry?" She whispered as she realised that he was no longer in the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry paced the living room, trying to settle the baby. Catherine had been exhausted and since she had got her brother to behave himself and get the Christmas decorations sorted out he had told her to get back to bed when Charlie had started crying. She had tried to protest but Harry had taken the baby and the bottle from her and promptly sent her to her room. He stared at the three month old boy in his arms as he realised he hadn't sent her to bed since she was ten years old.

"Right young man" He spoke quietly to the baby who was staring up at him. "Any chance you are going to let your granddad get some rest? I have a long day tomorrow. Got this nasty man to interview. Usual thing, stop the end of the world, stop Ros and Lucas from killing each other" He watched as the baby seemed to listen to every word. "And, if I am very lucky spend some time with Ruth before I have to argue with the JIC."

Charlie didn't seem to care about the mounting problems his grandfather had to cope with the next day. He was hungry and his bottle wasn't anywhere near finished. Neither had any idea Ruth was watching them from the living room doorway. She smiled as she quietly watched the scene, knowing that no one at work would believe her if she told them that Harry was talking politics to a three month old baby.

"So, what do you think of all this then?" He took the baby to the tree Graham and Catherine had decorated earlier. "Your Mum made that Star when she was in Junior School" Harry nodded towards the top of the tree "It's going to be alright Charlie. This Christmas is going to be ok" He turned to see Ruth watching them.

"How long have you been there?" He smiled slightly as the baby seemed to settle in his arms, the bottle now long forgotten.

"Long enough" She yawned. "Remember to wind him." Harry raised his eyebrows.

"I know" He walked towards her, a half smile on his lips.

"You are right though" She touched the baby's hair as Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Aren't I always?" He watched as she yawned.

"Insufferable man" Ruth answered mid yawn. "You are right about this though, it is going to be alright. This year Christmas is going to be alright" Harry nodded as he held the baby in one arm as he pulled her to him. Ruth smiled slightly before reaching up to kiss him as Charlie finally closed his eyes.

**author's note. Not much Adam, Beth, Tariq or Dimitri this time but they'll be back. For Lady J, fluffy enough? Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer Still not mine**

**Cds and Memories**

Beth had given up on the notion of sleep after she had lain in bed for an hour or so. Instead she was sat on the sofa in her tiny living room wrapping the present she had bought for the Secret Santa. She smiled as she fought with the sell tape. It was late as she was tired. And lonely. _December 10th_She sighed as she looked at the calendar. _Has it really been ten years since the accident? Since they died? Don't cry Beth come on, don't cry._ Beth swiped a hand across her face as she tried to forget the date and concentrated on wrapping the CD she had bought for Dimitri. She hoped he liked it. The phone rang, startling her from her thoughts. _Great that's all we need tonight, a Red Flash _she answered the call before looking to see who it was.

"Beth? You ok?" Dimitri walked across the road talking in to his mobile as he tried to balance the chips he had bought. He ignored the lads messing about as they left the pub and the taxi driver yelling as he ran in front of him. He was beginning to wonder if calling her was a good idea. It was late, she was probably asleep.

"Yeah. Why are you ringing me?" She subconsciously hid the CD under the wrapping paper before realising he couldn't see it. "Are we needed back on the Grid?" She wiped her eyes as she thought about how she was going to explain the fact she had been crying.

"No" Dimitri answered "Just wanted to see if you were ok. So do you want to come for a drink? I think I could persuade Tariq and the others if it was to plan the Christmas party" Beth sighed as he spoke.

"Not tonight Dim, sorry" She closed her eyes. "I'm really tired"

"Oh" He sounded disappointed. Beth stared at the clock on the windowsill and immediately turned away.

"Sorry" She sighed "Another night"

"Yeah, shame though" He sighed "Seeing as I am on your doorstep"

"What!" She jumped from the sofa, glaring at her oversized t shirt with Micky Mouse on the front. and shoved the CD under the sofa, hoping that he didn't see it.

"Bad idea, I know. Look don't worry about it. I'll see on the Grid tomorrow yeah" He switched off his phone as he stepped away from the front door and cursed himself. He walked down the corridor of her block of flats, berating himself for even thinking it was a good idea. But she was a mate and he had been worried about her. It wasn't like Beth to get upset like she had earlier, it was part of their friendship they constantly teased each other.

"Dimitri!" He smiled as he heard her call him. She was stood in her nightdress with her coat pulled around her "Sailor Boy!" She yelled as he rolled his eyes and turned round to face her.

"Beth" He shrugged.

"Are you going to share those chips then?" She smiled as he walked towards her.

"They're a bit cold now" He sighed as she pulled a face.

"Microwave it is then" She took them off him as he pulled a face in return.

"Shut up Dimitri, don't tell me you have never micro waved takeaway before" She laughed as she ushered him into the flat.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros couldn't sleep. The arrest had been too easy, she didn't like it. For some reason Craig Fisher had made it very easy to arrest him. The text message Adam had sent her earlier had done nothing to appease her nerves but she knew there was nothing she could do at almost midnight, with Amy in bed and Lucas sleeping where she had left him. She stared down at her wedding ring. Things were slightly better between them since the Vaughan incident but she still couldn't trust him. He was her husband and she had married him not knowing his real name. _Tom Quinn must have thought we were idiots. Unless he thought we had known?_ He was dead and there was no way of knowing what Tom had thought. She sighed; even going through records with Ruth's help hadn't helped although they had found out that Lucas was telling the truth. He had been set up and Vaughan was a sick and twisted terrorist that had abused his position in 6. She closed her eyes for a moment before snapping her eyes open. Amy was awake.

"Coming" She sighed as she pushed herself from the sofa.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry placed Charlie back in his cot, aware that the baby would be awake again in a few hours. He glanced at the clock. There was a fair chance he would be awake before his grandson. He sighed, he loved having the kids stay and Charlie was certainly turning in to everyone's favourite member of the family. The surprise addition had been more of a shock, single motherhood was not something he had wished for his daughter but he was proud of her. She was a good mum as far as he could see and Charlie was a happy little baby. He slipped back into his own room as he heard Ruth stir.

"Ok?" She sighed as he climbed in to bed.

"Get some sleep" He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead.

"It was too easy Harry" He sighed as she mirrored his thoughts "Fisher seems to have let Adam and Zaf arrest him. It was too easy" She yawned as her hand came to rest on his chest.

"I know" Harry caught her hand in his own. "But maybe we are too used to things going wrong? Perhaps we should accept it as a Christmas miracle eh?" His Yorkshire accent apparent now he was exhausted. Ruth nodded. It was the middle of the night and they had to be awake at 6. There was no way she was going to waste precious sleep time arguing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam stared at the mug of coffee that had long since got cold. He had fallen asleep on his own sofa just after coming home. He had intended on checking on Wes and then climbing into bed, but had never quite got there. He was cold and tired but couldn't shake the feeling he had missed something. The more he thought about it the more he was certain he had missed something, something important. Sighing he sat forward on the sofa, swearing as he saw the time. He rubbed his eyes as Carrie appeared in the door way.

"Hi" She smiled as he looked up. Her dark hair flopped in to her eyes as she yawned.

"Sorry"

"You have nothing to be sorry for" Carrie smiled. She held out her hand for him to take and pulled him to her. "It's late. You look awful" He raised his eyebrows and was about to say something when she touched her fingers to his lips.

"Caz" He mumbled through her fingers.

"Bed" She whispered, taking his hand in hers and leading him to the bedroom. For once Adam Carter decided to leave his concerns about the case till the morning. Right now Carrie was right. He needed to sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning Ros was the first member of the team to arrive. She was still concerned about how easy it had been to arrest Craig Fisher and wanted the case put to bed before she started her maternity leave, the doctors had already warned her about her blood pressure. _I'm Section Head of Anti terrorism how the hell can I not have high blood pressure?Pregnant or not, never mind everything that had happened with me and Lucas. _She threw her pen on the desk in temper. _Three more days Ros, three more days._ She thought to herself as she waited for the computer to load up. She looked up as Lucas entered the Grid.

"Morning" He seemed more subdued than usual but couldn't help but smile at the twinkling fairy lights that were all over the tree. "You left early this morning"

"Did you get Amy to Carrie's ok?" Ros tapped her code in to the computer, ignoring the hurt in his voice. He had really been trying but everyone knew once Ros' trust had been lost it would be a miracle to regain it. Lucas didn't believe in miracles.

"Yeah" His blue eyes bored into her "She's fine, it's you I'm worried about"

"Don't be. I'm ok. I'm always ok" Ros snapped as she stood to walk past him. Lucas caught her wrist as she stepped past him.

"I want to make it right, Ros. I really do" He loosened his hold on her as she shot him one of her best death glares.

"I know you do" She softened slightly as the Pod doors whooshed open. "I want you to interview Fisher with Adam. I'll listen in with Ruth. We're missing something. I know we are and I intend to find out what" Lucas nodded as he let her wrist go. Harry and Adam entered the Grid, deep in conversation.

"Ros, with me" Harry barked as Lucas sighed heavily. Lucas knew that he had to get Ros to talk but once again the moment was lost.

**author's note. Can Lucas and Ros get back on track? Are the team missing something? Will there be a little Christmas magic? And what about the kids? Will Charlie get to see his Granpa on Christmas Day or will they all get stuck in the Grid? Will anything happen with Beth and Dimitri or are they just good friends? Reviews make the writing better and faster!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer not mine. **

**Grudges and Gadgets**

Ruth sat at her desk as she listened to Tariq explain his latest gadget to Zaf. It seemed he had updated the microtracker that he had only put in to practice a few months earlier, she smiled slightly as she realised that although Zaf was pretty good with gadgets he really didn't understand this new toy. Zaf smiled across at Ruth as she tried to keep her attention directly on the screen, not on what she had heard when she had listened in to Lucas and Adam interviewing Fisher. All her instincts had been to believe it wasn't over. That Harry wasn't safe yet, that none of them were. Nothing was that simple where Section D was concerned. She was snapped from her thoughts by Lucas announcing he was going to collect Henry Parks from Euston Station. She nodded absentmindedly as Ros crossed the room.

"Where are you collecting him from?" Ros asked as she dumped a wafer thin file on her desk.

"Euston" Lucas checked his watch "In about thirty minutes"

"Right, well I'm coming with you" She grabbed her jacket and was out of the Pods before Lucas could argue. Zaf glanced at Ruth who just shook her head.

"At least they seem to be talking now" Ruth sighed as she picked up the small device Tariq was explaining. The young technical officer frowned as he took the button sized device from her. Malcolm tutted and was about to defend Ruth when Tariq spoke up.

"Careful, they are new and the only pair so far" Tariq placed them back on his own desk as Ruth raised her eyebrows. Dimitri laughed as he sat on the edge of Ruth's desk. She frowned, it seemed they were all in good spirits today, even though they had to collect an ex spook that was in danger as well as try to find out exactly what Craig Fisher had been planning. _Christmas spirit, _Ruth thought to herself. _It must be._

"Yeah, careful Pearce. Didn't anyone tell you not to touch other people's toys without asking?" Ruth smiled and rolled her eyes as Beth approached.

"Didn't anyone tell you the same thing, Sailor Boy?" Beth held her hand out. "Car keys, now"

Ruth and Tariq exchanged glances as Dimitri shoved his hands in his jean pockets and shook his head like a petulant school boy. Beth raised her eye brows as Dimitri leant back in his chair. Tariq smiled as he watched the pair. It really was like watching a pair of kids sometimes. Ruth turned back to her research while both were really watching the scene in front of them unfold.

"Dimitri I mean it" She continued to hold her hand out.

"No" He laughed "Not until you tell me who you got for Secret Santa"

"No" She huffed. The last thing she wanted was for him to know she had picked him. She didn't know that it was Malcolm that had got her name in the draw. "This is just childish. I have an asset to meet in the next twenty five minutes. I really do not want to have to get the bus to meet him!" She almost hissed as Harry walked past. He glanced at Ruth as he neared her desk but kept walking. It wasn't until he drew level with Malcolm's work station that he spoke.

"Dimitri, give Miss Bailey her car keys back. If you don't I will have to see what Tring can offer for your kleptomaniac tendancies" He was in his office before Dimitri could answer. Ruth met his eyes through the window of his office as Tariq and Beth dissolved in to fits of giggles while Dimitri desposited the keys in Beth's outstretched hand.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Ros sat in the passenger seat of the pool car, wondering how long it would take someone to collect an elderly man from the station platform and return to the car. Lucas had been gone to long and she was beginning to get worried. Staring out of the window she looked for any signs that a man Adam had described as looking a little bit like Father Christmas but in Tweed was actually on the station. As time went on Ros began to assess her options, stay where she was and call the Grid. Tariq would always be able to find Lucas on the CCTV or go and look herself. For a moment her guts twisted as she realised what she had seen the last time she had followed Lucas to a train station. Swearing under her breath she grabbed the door handle.

xxxxxxxxx

Lucas did not like the hustle and bustle of train stations. There were too many people, too many variables and too many things that could go wrong. He knew most people's idea of a disaster at that moment would be getting on the wrong train or falling victim to a pick pocket. He checked the arrivals board again, pleased to see that Henry's train had arrived. He stepped back only to bump in to an elderly man with a tweed hat and father Christmas type beard.

"Aye man watch where you are going!" He snapped as Lucas turned around.

"Sorry" Lucas raised an eyebrow as he realised he hadn't found the old man, he had found Lucas.

"Lucas North?"

"Yes" Lucas smiled "You must be Henry Parks. The stuff of legends"

"Legends? No lad, the stuff of nightmares I dare say. Well that is what my GP will tell you as well as my grandsons. Now, Harry told me you and your lass were picking me up" He laughed.

"Ros? Please Henry whatever you do don't call her that" He shook his head as the pensioner raised an eyebrow. He was looking forward to meeting the Section Chief.

"Ros Myers, yes Malcolm and Harry have told me she really is quite something" He walked towards the entrance of the train station, and dropped a few pence in the cap of a busker as Lucas nodded.

"Oh she is" He smiled, for some reason inordinantly proud of his wife.

xxxxxxxxx

The Christmas lights lit up the shops and pavements of Oxford Street as Beth walked towards the car. Her asset worked in one of the major department stores. As soon as Dimitri had worked out he worked in the Beauty Section, selling cosmetics he had offered to wait in the car. Beth laughed as she returned to the car with a small carrier bag in tow.

"Any good?" Dimitiri turned to her as she nodded.

"Yeah"

"Well?"

"Well Jacques believes that Craig Fisher just wanted to scare Harry" She watched as Dimitri nodded.

"I think we had already worked that out Beth"

"Yeah, well what we didn't know was the name of the man Fisher was working with. Apparently David Morris is a well known explosives expert. He has the knowledge and skills to put a bomb together that would really blow the city to pieces. According to Jacques, something is in the planning stages. Fisher getting arrested was intended, it made sure our eyes weren't on the ball." She watched as Dimitri grew serious.

"It isn't over." He almost spat the words.

"No Dim, it isn't. We need to talk to Harry."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry was not a happy man. He walked along the corridors of Whitehall muttering under his breath as Adam walked next to him. The younger spook knew meeting the Home Secretary was merely a formality for him, he was to fill in for Ros when she went off to have the baby so it made sense to introduce himself to the Home Seretary officially. Even though he had met the man a number of times. He raised his eyebrows as Harry walked on ahead.

"What was that all about?" Adam asked as they passed the small Christmas tree in the corner.

"What?"

"You and Towers? I thought he was on our side during the inquiry" Adam asked. It had really seemed the Home Secretary had fought in their corner. Harry nodded.

"Only due to the fact I know more about him and the skeletons in his closet than anyone else. Same goes for the rest of the current Front Bench. That is the only reason Lucas and I kept our jobs and why Section D wasn't dismantled on the spot!" He spat as Adam frowned. Harry sighed, until that moment it was only Ros that knew the extent Harry had had to go to so that the Section would survive the fall out from Vaughan and Albany. It had been an awful few weeks for everyone concerned.

"I see" Adam answered.

"No Adam, you don't see. Now I owe that bloody fool." Harry spat "The man knows about as much about Counter Terrorism and espionage as Wes knows about the Royal Ballet" Adam laughed as he pictured his son's face at that moment. There were only three things his son was interested in, rugby, Molly and his DS. In that order. Adam shrugged as Harry pulled his ringing mobile out of his jacket pocket.

"Yes!" He barked as Adam stopped walking. He had a very bad feeling about this.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked in to the station to be almost swallowed up by the sea of commuters. She sighed as she tried to look for her husband and the old man. It was no use. She couldn't see them anywhere. Her iphone in her hand she called Lucas. His phone went immediately to answer phone. _Hi, this is Lucas North. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back. Thanks. _Ros jabbed the phone off in temper as she realised she was left with no option. She walked across to the Customer Service desk and proceeded to terrify the young man on duty until he showed her the CCTV footage. It was then she knew she had to ring the Grid.

xxxxxxxxx

Ruth was stood behind Tariq and Malcolm as she watched the computer screen over their shoulder. Malcolm occasionally tutted at her impatience, although he understood why she was so anxious.

"Malcolm can you see them?"

"We found Lucas entering the platform at 23 minutes past. Then there is nothing." He sighed.

Tariq pressed a few keys on the computer as he tried to enhance the footage. They all knew there was now a full alert out for the missing Lucas North and Henry Parks. Malcolm was worried about his old friend. Henry had retired from the service due to ill health and he knew the old spook suffered from Angina and Arthritis. His final heart attack aged just 57 had persuaded him it was time to hand over the reigns to Harry but now Malcolm just hoped his old friend was strong enough to cope with whatever was being thrown at them.

"There" Tariq pointed at the screen.

"What?" Ruth's eyes followed where Tariq was pointing.

"Lucas is looking at the arrivals board. We know Ros was outside at this point yeah? The old man that bumps into him is definately Henry" He looked to Malcolm for confirmation. Malcolm nodded.

"Well, who are those two men that approach them just as they go out of range of the CCTV?" He looked towards Ruth who just shook her head.

"Find them and we find Lucas and Henry" Ruth walked away from the computer screen as Harry and Adam re-entered the Grid. Ruth looked up and caught her husband's eye. He looked angry and worried, which Ruth knew only too well wasn't a good combination.

"These men" Ruth began to explain "Intercepted the pick up. Lucas met Henry as arranged but these men seem to have taken them. I'm running a facial recognition on them now. Should be ready soon" She sighed.

"If they are on the database" Harry snapped as Tariq looked away.

"Well if they are not then we are stuffed" Ruth snapped "We are doing our best Harry"

Malcolm, Adam and Tariq remained quiet as the Intel Analyst turned back to the computer. Her face flushed with anger as Harry marched in to his office and slammed the door. Malcolm saw Adam cast a pleading look in his direction. He sighed as Adam whispered to him to talk to Harry. He nodded in understanding as Ros, Beth and Dimitri entered the Grid, followed by a very disgruntled looking Zoe and Zaf.

"Any news?" Ros asked as she sat down. She didn't want to admit she was worried. Lucas could take care of himself, she knew that. She couldn't stop the way her guts seemed to constrict whenever she thought of Lucas in danger.

"You'll be the first to know" Tariq replied as she nodded once. Raised voices could be heard through the office door as Malcolm let himself in unannounced.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas hated enclosed spaces, he hated the dark. Not the type of dark that happened when the lights were turned off in the night but the type of all consuming darkness where the human eye couldn't adapt. Where there was nothing but blackness. He cursed as he closed his eyes again. He knew he would have a black eye in the morning, that he had probably re-broken his ribs and his right ankle ached like he had been shot through it. He tried to regulate his breathing as he heard Henry cough slightly.

"Lucas, are you alright lad?" He whispered.

"Henry?"

"Aye" Henry answered. He was also sat in the dark, bruised and battered "Since when did you lot not know about David Morris and Mickey Fisher?"

"What?" Lucas was convinced he had the start of concussion. He had fought the three men that had taken them from the station. He could only pray that the thugs hadn't known Ros was in the car outside the station. He prayed she had stayed there, rather than go into the station to investigate.

"Craig Fisher wasn't the only member of the FLF. What is Harry teaching you kids these days?" He tutted "Mickey is the younger brother and David Morris is a hired thug. Not much of a bomb maker, some of the paramilitary groups used him, right enough but he is stupid enough to do Fisher's dirty work. After what that scum did to Harry and Juliet I kept my eye on them. That sort of hatred doesn't die my boy. It festers like an open wound. It was obvious that Fisher would come after Harry, Connie, Juliet and myself" Henry pushed himself in to a sitting position. He noticed they had removed his walking stick. He smiled, he had done some considerable damage with that solid wooden stick.

"They can't hurt Connie" Lucas held his ribs as best he could.

"Oh" Henry was quiet for a moment. "Clever girl Connie. Hugo had a thing for her." He smiled at the memory.

"Yeah, she was." Lucas didn't have the heart to tell him she had died a traitor. Not after she was able to stop the bomb in the end. After everything she had done at least she had saved the lives of millions of people in the end. He stared straight ahead of him. He knew how this would play out. He just didn't know if Henry could cope with it. Henry sighed as he realised they hadn't even bothered to tie him up. _Slightly ageist. Just because I'm old doesn't mean I can fight!_ He looked across at the younger man and wondered if he would survive what was about to come.

"Lucas, my boy" Henry whispered as Lucas turned his head to face him. "Think about everything you have to get back to. Thats how we get through this. You have a wife. Malcolm told me about the wee bairn and the one on the way. I'm going to think of my wee grandsons. I have their Christmas concert at school next week and no bloody thug is going to stop me from getting there" He narrowed his eyes as Lucas nodded. Just for a moment he saw the steel in the old man that had made him such a formidable field agent.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth marched in to Harry's office as she saw Ros make her way out of the Grid towards the Ladies toilets. She was worried about her friend, she knew what it was like to have a missing husband. Harry looked up as Ruth marched straight to his desk.

"The facial recognition programme worked" She watched as he held her gaze.

"And?"

"Both men are known to us. David Morris and Micky Fisher" Ruth stopped to draw breath.

"What are they known for?" Harry already knew of one man that they hadn't put behind bars during the initial case.

"David Morris was released from prison in 2008. He was involved in bombing the Abortion Clinic and killing the medical student." Ruth watched as Harry ran a hand over his face. "Fisher is Craig Fisher's younger brother. I just assume he's involved because he wants revenge for his brother"

Harry nodded. He felt sick, he had told Malcolm to contact Henry so they could protect him. Instead he had been led in to a trap. Lucas was missing and Ros was now seven months pregnant. It was only two weeks to Christmas. He closed his eyes as he felt Ruth touch his hand.

"Harry"

"I should have gone after Fisher myself, not come back here. Not put any of you at risk" He sighed as he felt Ruth tighten her hold on his hand.

"Section D is a team, Harry." Ruth stared at him. She couldn't help but worry. He looked exhausted. "We will find these men and we will get Lucas and Henry back" Harry opened his eyes to see the fierce determination in her blue eyes. He was about to answer, about to appologise for snapping at her when Zoe walked in.

"Coded warning on line 1. It's them." She paused as Harry and Ruth stared at her for a second. "Harry, they want to trade"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**author's note. Ok, so not the fluffy fic I promised. But there will be more fluff very very soon. Remember there is still two weeks to Christmas as far as the story line is concerned. This fic seems like it has taken on a life of it's own. Will Tariq's gadgets work? Is Henry going to end up looking after Lucas? Will Dimitri and Beth ever stop teasing each other? Will Harry make the trade? Please review, even if you hate it! More Christmassy stuff next time.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer not mine. **

**Deal or no Deal?**

Ros stared in the mirror above the sinks in the Ladies toilets. She felt sick. Lucas was missing and she hadn't expected it to affect her so much. She glared at her reflection._ Of course it affects you, he's your husband. The only man that you've ever really trusted. The only man you ever really loved._ Ros closed her eyes as she thought about the last few weeks. She had wanted to hate him, she had tried to hate him but it hadn't worked. Ros opened her eyes and stared at the mirror as the baby inside her kicked. _Now I could loose him and I he'll die thinking I hate him. I should hate him. He lied to me, he betrayed me. I should hate the very thought of him. __I can't__. _I tried. She leant over the sink, every muscle in her body taught as she tried to control her emotions.

"Ros"

Ros snapped her head round as she heard her name called. Zaf had ventured in to the Ladies' toilets.

"Younis, the gents is the next room along" Ros spat. He nodded. Zaf sighed,_ why did the women of Section D make it so hard on themselves?_ He braved a step into the room.

"Yeah, Harry wants us all back in the Grid. Seems that Morris has sent a coded warning in." He watched as Ros sighed before turning to face him.

"What?"

"A trade. He wants Harry to trade" Zaf held her gaze.

"Lucas and Henry are alive?" It was more a statement than a question. She daren't bring herself to hope. But then it was almost Christmas, Beth had been going on about it being a special time of year ever since she had dragged the tree through the Pods. Ros couldn't help but hope that the newest member of their eclectic little team was right.

"I hope so. I don't know what they want to trade. Malcolm and Ruth are analysing the tape now. Zoe answered the call." Ros nodded as she pushed past him.

"Come on then. You are going to get a name for yourself if you keep hanging round women's toilets" She threw the remark over her shoulder as she walked back to the main Grid. Zaf suddenly felt very self conscious and hoped no one else knew he had walked straight in to the Ladies' toilets.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth looked over at the Christmas tree. She suddenly felt very guilty, almost as if trying to bring a little Christmas cheer to the Grid had brought the case to them. She sighed as she dumped her black coat over the chair next to Zoe. She watched as Malcolm and Ruth seemed to be absorbed in something. Unable to stand the sight of the cheerful little tree anymore she walked across to it and unplugged the lights. She knew she couldn't lift it but if she could she would have dumped the tree in the cleaner's cupboard.

"Beth?" Adam asked as she passed his desk.

"The lights go back on when we have something to celebrate" Beth smiled slightly. Adam nodded, he knew she had always looked up to Lucas. Despite everything. He nodded towards Dimitri who had returned from the coffee machine as Harry walked on to the Grid. The team fell silent as Harry stood in the centre of the room.

"As you know someone stating they have Lucas and Henry contacted the Grid this afternoon" He spoke calmly. Only Ruth could see he was anything but calm.

"Didn't they say something about a trade?" Tariq asked as Ruth shot him a look.

"They did Tariq" Harry sighed. "The coded warning suggests this threat is legitimate. It was the same code the group used in 1985. The trade is supposed to happen later tonight at the disused factory units in Harrow." Harry spoke as if making the trade was a forgone conclusion. Ruth stared at the desk.

"What do they want to trade?" Beth asked. She knew no one else would.

"Lucas and Henry. Apparently the old man is of no use to them" Harry couldn't quite keep the anger out of his voice. "They want Craig Fisher released and they want me" Harry deliberately avoided Ruth's gaze as he spoke. Adam nodded once, he had expected as much.

"Surely you can't make the trade" Beth was incredulous.

"If I don't then they will not only kill both Lucas and Henry" Harry couldn't look at Ros or Ruth now, although he was aware of both women staring at him intently. "A bomb will be detonated"

"Where is the bomb?" Ros asked.

"He didn't say" Harry sighed. Ros nodded.

"Ok, so you have agreed to make the trade?" Ros asked as Harry nodded. Ruth swore before turning back to the computer.

"11pm tonight, the wasteland behind Saint Catherine's Church in Harrow" Harry stated. Ros leant against her desk as she thought.

"Harry" Ruth narrowed her eyes as she spoke. She didn't see how placing himself directly in the line of fire was going to help anyone. Fisher had nearly killed him before she had no doubt his brother wanted to finish what he had started. Harry avoided her gaze as he turned to the team.

"I am not making the trade" Harry watched. "But we have to stop the bomb and we have to get Lucas and Henry back"

Beth and Dimitri stared at each other for a moment as Harry spoke. Dimitri remained quiet as Beth couldn't help but speak up.

"If we are not making the trade, then how do we get them back? How do we get the location of the bomb?" Beth asked as Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. Ros leant against the desk as she realised it was up to her to come up with a plan.

"Harry, you go to the meet. Take back up" Ros knew Ruth at least wanted to protest. "Zaf, Adam you go with him. I want Ruth and Tariq nearby listening in. We have to get evidence. Harry wear a tracker and a wire" She stood up and began walking round, clearly uncomfortable. "Beth, Zoe, Malcolm, Dimitri and myself will focus on finding and diffusing the bomb"

"Slight problem there. I have only ever diffused one bomb." Dimitri spoke up.

"And I had to talk him through it" Tariq shook his head as Dimitri shot him a death glare.

"Yes" Beth answered "I bet there are a few things in life you needed talking through" Adam couldn't help but snigger as Tariq blushed and turned away. He wondered if Beth and Dimitri would always stand up for each other. They reminded him of a young Zoe and Danny. Harry smiled slightly as he turned and walked back to his office. He paused in the doorway of his office before turning to his team.

"Make sure everything is in place. These men are to be considered extremely dangerous. Try to get some rest if you can" He stared at Ros for the last part of his statement and almost laughed as she rolled her eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas knew Henry was right. He had more to fight for than he realised. Amy was thirteen months old, walking and talking and in to everything. He smiled at the thought of his little girl. There was no way he was going to miss out on her growing up. She wasn't the Daddy's girl that Ros believed she would be but he adored her, she was so much like Ros it was uncanny - down to the death glare she shot at people when the word "No" was mentioned. Then there was the new baby. He really wanted to meet his son. And Ros, he couldn't let these thugs kill him when things were just beginning to get back on civil terms. He hung his head in his hands as he thought about his family.

"Lucas" Henry muttered as the door to the room opened.

"Yeah?"

"Have you got a plan?" the old man asked.

"Thought we'd wing it" Lucas muttered.

"Aye, thats a plan" Henry muttered sarcastically as two men walked in to the room. The thicker set one stooped lower to the same level as Lucas.

"Been talking to your boss" He watched as Lucas gave no reaction. "Might even have you home in time for Christmas". It was the last thing Lucas heard as his head connected with the wall behind him.

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Ruth sat in the back of the navy blue transit van next to Tariq. She knew she had to keep calm because of how nervous Tariq was. The last few months had been difficult and Ruth was certain the youngest member of the team was more affected by things than he had shown. She smiled slightly as he looked through the small blacked out windows of the van.

"Pretty aren't they?" She smiled as he turned back to her.

"Eh?"

"The Christmas lights. My dad used to take me in to town to see them when I was little" Ruth sighed at the memory.

"I thought your dad died" Tariq cursed himself the moment the words were out of his mouth. Ruth nodded once.

"Yes, he died when I was eight. But when I was little, about five or six he used to bring me to London to see the lights in the shop windows and the tree in Trafalgar Square. I loved it when I was a little girl" She smiled sadly. She really had been a Daddy's girl.

"My mum used to take us" Tariq answered. He knew she was trying to divert attention from why she was no nervous. Harry was out on the wasteland. He was sat alone in the car waiting for the men that held Lucas and Henry. She knew they were early and that while she could hear every thing that Harry said she knew he could hear her too.

"Did you get Malcolm's present?" She leant backwards in her seat. The cramped van made her legs ache.

"Yeah, it's wicked" Tariq smiled. He was quite proud of him self. "Who did you get?"

"Tariq!" She shook her head.

"Oh come on Ruth. I told you"

"Ok, I got Ros" Ruth lied as she heard Harry chuckle in her ear piece. She knew Harry would be questioning her later. He had been trying to get her to tell him who she had got since Beth had started the whole Secret Santa thing. Suddenly there was a roar of tyres and Harry whispered.

"Here we go, everyone ready"

"Alpha 2 in position" Adam spoke

"Alpha 3 I have eyeball" Zaf answered. He glared over the top of the scarf he was wearing as he wondered why yet again he was playing the part of a tramp. He was freezing and couldn't wait to get out of the December night air and back to the Grid.

"Tango 1" Harry held his breath as both Tariq and Ruth remained quiet. "Tango 1, do you copy?" He was answered by the sounds of Tariq shouting and what sounded like van doors slamming shut. Ruth screamed as she was dragged kicking and screaming from the van. Harry felt his heart rate speed up dramatically as the car pulled up in front of him. David Morris got out the black Renault Megane and laughed.

"So, Harry Pearce it seems like we have something to trade now. Follow me and I will kill your people. Fail to return my friend to me and your wife and friends will not be the only ones to get killed but a lot of people. So many people come to the capital this time of year. So many" He laughed as Harry took a step towards him. He could hear Zaf shouting in his ear piece that Ruth had been taken and Tariq was down. He heard Adam swear as the car tyres screached.

"I came to make the trade" Harry kept his cool, at least on the outside. On the inside he was screaming.

"Yeah and you will. I'll give you a ring when I am ready. Merry Christmas Mr Pearce" Morris laughed as he got back to the car. Harry took a step towards Morris as the younger man laughed.

"Now old man, I wouldn't do anything that could get the wife hurt. Merry Christmas. I'll be in touch" He got in to the car and gunned the engine, leaving Harry alone in the cold night air.

**author's note. Thank you for the reviews. Please let me know what you think. I promise there will be more fluff/humor soon just stick with me!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Never Tear Us Apart?**

Zaf stopped Ros from walking in to the Interview Room. She turned and held his gaze as he wondered if stopping her was really a good idea. When Ros was in full Ice Queen mode there was no one more formidable.

"Are you alright?" He paused as Ros stared at him expressionless "I can call Adam down here, get him to run the interview with me. He can be just as effective when he wants to be you know?" He smiled slightly as he remembered some of the more recent interviews he had carried out with Adam. Ros raised her eye brows.

"Thank you for your concern but I am fine" Ros was always fine. She would never be anything less than fine. The fact she was scared to death that Lucas was somewhere hurt and alone or that Amy would never see her father again didn't pass her lips. He would be home, despite everything she knew he would be home. Zaf nodded as he held her gaze.

"All I know is that if it was Zo that was missing.." He trailed off aware that if Zoe was missing he would not be able to function half as well as Ros was now.

"At least you know who she is" Ros inwardly cursed herself for letting anything slip. But then this was Zaf, he had known her for years and like Malcolm knew exactly what buttons to press. Zaf rolled his eyes slightly.

"Is that what all this with you and him is about? You know exactly who Lucas is. A name is nothing Ros and you know it. How often do we use legends? Change our names? All the time but then we still are the same person. If Zoe turned around tomorrow and told me she was really called Zelda Queen of Zarg it wouldn't change the way I feel about her. Don't tell me everything you and Lucas have has gone because he used to use another name?" Zaf knew he had gone too far. She looked him directly in the eye before pushing past him and storming in to the interview. The lack of verbal response made him think he had hit a nerve.

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Harry was sick with worry as he sheilded even more inane questions from William Towers. The Home Secretary was the last person he wanted to speak to, especially after the way the afternoon meeting had gone. All he could think about was Ruth. He had to see her again, she had to come home. He knew the entire team were working on the case but he needed to feel he was doing something to get her back. Part of his mind also wondered how he was going to tell Catherine and Graham that she was gone. He knew how close she was to Catherine and a wave of sadness swept over him once more.

"Malcolm" He called the technical officer in to his office.

"Harry" Malcolm took a seat opposite Harry's desk.

"Any news? Anything at all?" He knew he sounded desperate and he didn't care. He needed to find the three missing agents. There had to be something the team would do.

"No" Malcolm sighed heavily. "Not yet. All we can do is keep looking and wait for them to call us. We had one coded warning there will be others"

Harry nodded. All he could think about was a Christmas a long time before where he hadn't thought he would see his son born or watch his little girl open her presents. He had believed they would kill him and Juliet. It had seen a forgone conclusion, until Henry Parks and Connie James had worked it out. He remembered hearing Juliet screaming through the wall and knew that along with what he had gone through when Ruth had returned from Cyprus was the worst torture that he had ever endured. Now he just hoped the younger Fisher brother wasn't subjecting Ruth and Lucas to the same fate.

"You know the statistics Malcolm" He kept his face neutral "Anyone missing over 24 hours in these circumstances are more than like to " He gripped his pen tighter, unable to finish the sentance although Malcolm understood exactly what he was referring to.

"Yes" Malcolm stared straight at him, a determination in his voice that was barely heard most of the time "But not this time. This is Ruth, Lucas and Henry. I'd be more worried about Fisher and Morris. They have no idea what they have let themselves in for." He smiled.

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Ruth laid down and closed her eyes as Henry yelled for help. He shook the apparently comatose woman in his arms as he shouted once more for help.

"Quick! We need help! We need some help in here! Please man she's in a bad way"

Ruth laid quietly in Henry's arms as he called once more. For a moment he wondered exactly how good an actress she was or if they really did have a problem. Moments later the door to the room opened and Lucas was thrown at their feet. He looked in no fit state to attempt an escape but Henry knew they had to at least try.

"Aye man she's hurt" Henry carried on as the man that had thrown Lucas to the floor sneered.

"And what do I care old man?"

"You want murder on your conscious? At your age? She could die. I think she's dying, she has nothing to do with anything and you bloody well know it! She's bleeding." He shook her again as Ruth let her head loll dangerously to the side. "I think she's in trouble"

Ruth stayed as still as she could as a small trail of blood slipped from her lips. She had bit her lip when Morris had grabbed her from the van. At the moment she was glad as the small wound made it look convincing enough that their captor stepped closer. That was enough for Lucas to see red. He had promised himself that Ruth wouldn't be hurt. That he was going to look after her in some attempt to make up for everything that had happened to her earlier in the year due to his deception and stupidity. He threw himself at Morris and caught him off guard as Ruth raised an elbow and caught him in the ribs.

"What?" Lucas shook his head as Ruth got to her feet.

"Ten days to Christmas. I am going home" Ruth stepped away as Lucas helped Henry to his feet.

"After you my lady" Henry chuckled to himself. He had a feeling they were far from free but he was proud of the two younger officers.

"We can do this" Ruth sighed as they made their way along what looked like a stone staircase.

"Be brave Ruth" Henry whispered "Harry needs you back."

Ruth smiled. She remembered the first time when Harry had told her that. _Danny's funeral. _She knew the context shouldn't make her smile but it was that moment in the beautiful Anglican Church in the centre of London that she knew. There was nothing she wouldn't do for Harry Pearce. She stared at the older man as he smiled at her. She could see why the others had followed him in his time as Section Head. It seemed he had an inate ability to make people trust him. It was lethal to the enemy and an essential skill for a field officer.

"I know" She smiled slighly as seh touched his arm. Lucas slumped against the wall, catching his breath. His swollen ankle was slowing him down. He screwed his eyes shut in pain and frustration. He knew his ankle was badly broken.

"Ruth, get Henry and get out of here" His voice was low as his blue eyes met hers.

"Come on Lucas"

"Amy needs her Godmother, Ruth you know that" Ruth nodded.

"I think she needs her Dad more" Ruth grabbed his arm and started to make him walk

"I'll slow you down"

Henry watched the exchange and remembered the run he had with Adam a few months previously. Shaking his head he watched as Ruth, despite her lack of height was trying to help Lucas walk despite the fact he had to lean on her and was over a foot taller and much heavier. He wondered if all of Section D looked out for each other like that.

"I am not facing Ros without you. And who says we were in a rush?"

"Ros may thank you if you did turn up without me" He remembered how cold their last conversation had been. He was beginning to loose hope that they would ever get back to where they had been before Vaughan.

"Oh, save me the self pitying crap Lucas. It doesn't suit you" Ruth almost spat as Henry chuckled. "You hurt her, if she doesn't love you do you think she would have let you anywhere near her since? You think that either of you would be in Section D? If you want her, really want her then you have to fight for her" Ruth watched as Lucas remained silent. They were waisting time. Henry walked on ahead and stared out of an upstairs window assesssing the ground outside.

"Lucas man she's right. I dunno what has been going on with you but a lady needs to know she's wanted. So in the words of my grandson Jake, man up and grow a set" Ruth bit her bottom lip and shook her head as they began to make their way unhindered down the steps to the outside world.

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Harry shot up in bed, breathing hard he felt sick. His nightmare of Ruth lost, hurt and alone was suddenly at the forefront of his mind. Suddenly he felt the weight in the bed shift as she sat slightly behind him kissing his bare shoulder.

"Hey" Ruth smiled between kisses "Bad dream?"

"Yeah" His voice was horse with emotion as he felt her kiss him again. "You were gone. You and Lucas were gone." He closed his eyes as he thought about it, the sensation of her kisses on his bare back began to overwhelm him.

"Oh" He turned to face her. Ruth smiled at him, deathly pale and almost transparent. Her bones almost visible beneath her skin as she flashed him a ghostly smile.

"Ruth" Harry whispered suddenly scared that he was going insane.

"Till death do us part eh?" She watched as he stared at her "Even death can't seperate us. They can never tear us apart" She smiled as Harry woke with a jolt to find himself back in his office, the blinds drawn.

"Hello Sir" The petite blonde sat on his desk swinging her legs childishly. Harry just stared.

"Joanna?"

"Ghost of Christmas past eh? You are dreaming. I didn't have the energy to try to contact you when you are awake. You have a far too analytical mind. Like Ruth" She shook her head, smiling cheekily.

"Jo" Harry stared at her "I killed you. I should never have ordered you to go in after Ros. I am so sorry"

"Sir? It wasn't your fault. You didn't know I was going to leave my gun. It was my choice. Suicide. My penance seems to be that I am now Section D's very own guardian angel" She laughed slightly at the irony of it. Harry daren't move. "Ruth is coming home. She isn't as fragile as you think. " Harry raised his eyebrows as he heard the young woman speak.

"I was her best friend. I know this. Ruth is coming back and so are the others" The sound of a phone ringing somewhere on the main Grid pierced the air.

"Jo"

"You better answer the phone" Jo jumped off the desk. "Oh, she's going to love the Christmas present." Jo winked before walking through a wall without looking back.

Harry opened his eyes as Beth barged in to his office. The young woman was clearly in a state over something.

"Beth?"

"Coded warning again" She caught her breath as Harry stood up and followed her to his door. He couldn't help but turn back and glance at the last place he had seen Jo. He shook his head._ Early onset dementia Pearce? Loosing it._ He thought. He swore as the phone on his desk rang.

"Yes" He barked in to the phone before almost collapsing in relief. Jo had been right.

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Lucas knew he was slowing down the others as he tried to convince Henry to go on without him. He knew Ruth would never give up on him. She really was like a dog with a bone. Henry shook his head as he slipped the silk tie he wore from around his neck. Ruth narrowed her eyes aware that the old man would use it as a weapon if he had to.

"Listen to me my boy" Lucas looked across at the silver haired old man "We got here together and we will be going back to Thames House together. What is your we bairn's name? Tell me again" He commanded as Lucas closed his eyes thinking of the dark haired little girl with the same blue/green eyes as her mother.

"Amy Ruth North" He sighed.

"Ruth?"

"After her godmother" He nodded towards Ruth who ignored him. She was trying to think of a plan, analysing every possible outcome of the situation they were in. The door in front of them could lead to freedom. It could also lead them to a situation where they were killed. _Henry was the best. But that was almost thirty years ago when they had to deal with Irish Nationalists and Loyalists, with groups like Meibion Glyn Dwr. He's got to be pushing 80 now. Please let me be able to do this._ Ruth sent up a silent prayer as she quietly opened the door.

"Shit" She muttered as Henry raised an eyebrow. She turned back to see Henry shake his head.

"Language young lady" Ruth smiled. She could see why Malcolm liked him. They fell silent as Lucas tried to concentrate on his breathing. They stepped back in to the shadows as they saw what had worried Ruth.

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Ros pinned Fisher to the wall of the Interview Room as Zaf leant against the opposite wall. He made no attempt to stop her. He smiled slightly to himself aware that Ros was barely containing her anger.

"Location Now!" She kept her voice deceptively low as Fisher avoided her gaze.

"Fuck off"

"Look, I tried to be reasonable but you see that is difficult for me in the current situation. At the moment I have three officers risking their lives because of your vendetta against my boss. That pisses me off. Not to mention the fact I'm tired, I have a toddler who is teething and my back is killing me. Now if I kill you I'd get nothing more than a slap on the wrist because I'd put it down to hormones" Ros spoke calmly. Zaf smiled.

"No one wants any trouble. Just tell us where the bomb is" Zaf folded his arms.

"Fuck off" Fisher repeated.

"Well thats a variation on no comment" Ros stared in the older man's face. She knew she had him.

"Mate I really wouldn't keep upsetting my boss" Zaf knew Ros was smiling slightly even though she had her back to him. "You wouldnt like her when she is angry"

"Yeah PMT is a bitch but pregancy hormones" Ros shook her head. "You can imagine what I am like in this condition" Fisher's eyes widened as he realised Ros was gong to win.

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Henry glanced out of the side door Ruth had opened moments before. The pretty tree in the garden covered in frost and Christmas lights looked wrong considering what had gone on in the house they were leaving. He had to admit Lucas was beginning to worry him.

"Aye" He muttered under his breath.

"What?" Lucas asked

"Xray at 3 o clock" He nodded in the same direction as a heavy set man rounded the corner. Ruth stuck out her foot as he passed, sending him sprawling to the floor as Henry watched Lucas dig a knee into his back. The young man swore and struggled as Ruth pulled a mobile phone from his pocket.

"Would someone like to ring for a lift?" Henry smiled as Ruth dialled a familiar number and waited for Harry to answer. The young man gave up the fight when he realised it was pointless. Henry had already threated to strangle him. He had no doubt the pensioner meant it.

"Harry, it's me" She paused as she heard her husband thank God. "Look, we need transport. Henry has made an arrest."

Harry got her location and ordered Adam and Dimitri to collect them. Smiling to himself he knew Henry was still a formidable officer despite being retired for almost two decades. He also couldn't help but think Jo was right. Ruth was coming home.

**authors note. Please review. More reviews = more romance next time.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer not mine. (well Henry Parks and some of the baddies are but anything from the TV show that you recognise are Kudos)**

**Observation**

Ruth stared at the grey washed walls in front of her. She had sat there so long the posters advertising the numbers for NHS Direct and Domestic Violence helplines no longer registered with her. Neither did the large tinsel covered poster announcing the Christmas Extraveganza and Santa's Groto in town. The sad looking tinsel did nothing to cheer her up, she briefly wondered if Section D would get to even acknowledge Christmas. She made a mental note that whatever happened she would get to Midnight Mass this year, she may even persuade Harry to come with her. She closed her eyes for a moment as she thought of her husband and how worried he had sounded when she had used the mobile phone Henry had taken from the man they had arrested to call him. It seemed they had stumbled across one of the main players in the FLF, the bomb maker Ricky Mitchell had been the man she had tripped up as they made their escape.

"Ruth?" Her head snapped to the right as she heard the familiar voice call her name.

"Hi" She sighed as he stopped and stared.

"Hi" For a moment Harry didn't know what to say to her. It had been a long time since she had caused him to be lost for words. She dipped her head as she noticed him take in her appearance as she stepped towards him. The swollen lip and bruising along her jaw line was made more apparent in the hospital light.

"Lucas has gone for an xray. The triage nurse said he may have broken his anke. Thats all they need with the baby on the way" She smiled sadly "Did Adam get Henry back to the Grid?" Ruth felt slightly awkward.

"Oh. Yes. Henry has made himself at home there I think" He shook his head and smiled. It had been years since he had seen his former mentor but he was glad to see the old man still had his wits about him. He knew it was down to Ruth's quick thinking and Henry's ability to talk his way out of any situation that any of his team had returned to the Grid. The arrest Henry had made was merely a bonus as far as Harry was concerned. He stepped forward and ran a hand along the bruises.

"Harry" She breathed.

"I'm fine" He smiled as he touched her face. She held his palm against her skin as he stepped closer to her.

"I'm sorry about your lip" He watched as Ruth rolled her eyes before he leant in to kiss the damaged skin. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his lips brush hers. He pulled back as she winced slightly. A wave of anger flashed through Harry and he was suddenly glad the man that had snatched her was not in the room with him at the moment.

"Sorry" Ruth muttered as she touched her lip. Harry shook his head as he pulled her in to his arms and held her. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he kissed her hair. Suddenly no words were necessary.

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Henry looked around the Grid smiling to himself as Ros walked through the Pods. He turned to see the blonde spook appraise him as Beth handed him a mug of coffee. Zoe and Tariq were deep in discussion about something as the computer screen in front of them. Malcolm was on the phone talking to an asset as he caught Henry's eye and nodded.

"Thank you my dear" He smiled as Beth smiled back. She had immediately taken to the older man and thought that perhaps he could talk some sense in to her Section Chief and Field Officer. The anamosity between Lucas and Ros was getting on her nerves. Henry looked towards Ros to see her staring back at him, her face impassive.

"Henry Parks" She stated as Beth nodded.

"Guilty as charged" He bowed his head as Ros graced him with a small smile. "Section Chief Rosalind Sarah Myers. Or should I say Mrs North? I never am sure with you modern career women. So many keep their maiden names these days" He shrugged.

"Ros will do fine" She glanced towards Dimitri who was absorbed in something he had seen on his computer screen.

"Lucas told me about you" He started "Seems your husband is quite besotted"

Ros raised her eyebrows as she realised the rest of the team were able to overhear what Henry was telling her. She began to wonder exactly what Lucas had said. It was then she realised that while she had been interviewing Fisher with Zaf various members of her team were missing, mainly Ruth, Harry and Lucas. She glanced around as Dimitri answered her unspoken question.

"Adam dropped Lucas and Ruth at the hospital. He needed his leg looking at and Ruth didn't want him to be on his own" He didn't look up from the computer. "I called Harry when I was bringing Henry and Mitchell back here. Mitchell is in the cells"

"Ok" Ros pinched the bridge of her nose as she absorbed Dimitri's words. _Alive, he's alive. He's hurt. __I could have lost him this time_. Ros thought to herself as she realised there was no way she could abandon the Grid and run to the hospital however much she wanted to. There were more important issues at the moment.

"What did you find out with Fisher?" Beth asked as she leant against Dimitri's desk. The SBS officer glanced up at her as she spoke. It was the first time he had taken his eyes from the computer screen since Ros had entered the room.

"He confirmed alot of the things Sienna Sapphire told you" Zaf answered as he picked up his parker jacket.

"Sienna Sapphire?" Henry almost laughed.

"Long story" Dimitri answered as Beth smiled. He looked away from her, aware that no one else on the Grid would get the meaning behind his statement.

"Ah" Henry sipped his coffee.

"Ok, so what have we got?" Ros looked at her team as Zaf and Adam began to prepare to leave the Grid.

"Not much. We have three men in custody but there is still the chance that there will be attack some time over the festive period" Harry stated as he walked through the Pods with Ruth by his side. Lucas was a little slower as he limped through the Pods, trying to negotiate the crutches and revolving door of the Pod. His eyes met Ros' and the relief he saw there gave him hope that there was a little hope for them.

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Beth wandered in to the small kitchenette as Dimitri boiled the kettle. The rest of the Grid were absorbed in going over the interviews that the team had conducted. They were also going over every single bit of intelligence that they had on the FLF. It was going to be a long night. Dimitri sighed, he was tired and couldn't shake the thought that something was being missed. He was pleased though as Henry had proved invaluable as they gathered all the intelligence together. Ruth, Malcolm and Tariq were collating the information when Dimitri had announced he was making a tray of coffee for everyone. The last thing they needed was to be dehydrated as well as stressed. It was clear that he hadn't heard Beth enter the kitchenette. He jumped a mile as he felt her presence behind him.

"You trying to give me a heart attack?" he laughed as he turned to see her raise her eyebrows.

"Dim"

"Look I meant to say I phoned the George last night. Landlord says we can have the upstairs function room for the Christmas party. We have to make sure it is sorted though, he won't do anything apart from let us use the room" He watched as Beth's face lit up.

"Brilliant" She took her tea from the tray as Dimitri watched. "I have a contact who may be able to let us use his disco equipment"

"You really thought this through didn't you Bailey?" He watched as she held the door open for him to carry the tray in to the Grid. She nodded.

"Of course. Operation Christmas is on!" Dimitri laughed as he carried the tray past her. Beth looked up to see Henry watching her. "Can I help you Henry?" She frowned. She knew when she was being analysed. Ruth did it often enough.

"I think your young man is quite looking forward to Christmas" He held her gaze.

"Dimitri? He isn't my young man as you put it" Beth tried to sound offended. Her and Dimitri were still the newest members of the team and had stuck together from the day they had stared. They were friends. He was probably the best friend she had ever had.

"Oh Miss Bailey I think you'll find Mr Levandis is very much your young man" He shook his head as he headed off to talk to Malcolm. Beth stared after him for a moment lost in thought as Harry's voice broke in to her day dream.

"Briefing Room now!" She glanced towards her boss as Lucas and Zoe began to make their way to the Briefing Room followed by Ruth and the others.

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**author's note. Thank you all for the reviews, it's been unexpected but lovely! Will update more soon xx Please let me know what you think.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer not mine. (well Henry Parks and some of the baddies are but anything from the TV show that you recognise are Kudos) Pure fluff alert.**

**A Christmas Miracle?**

The meeting was a somber affair as all the assembled officers took their seat around the Briefing Room table. Henry had stayed behind on the Grid as Harry took his place at the head of the table. He glanced through the open door to see Henry take a seat at Tariq's desk. He sighed.

"Tariq, please ask Henry to join us" He watched as the young technical officer sprang from his seat. He shook his head as he watched Tariq lead the former Section Head in to the room.

"Right everyone, I expect you have all met Henry Parks. He was the original Section Head for Counter Terrorism" Harry watched as everyone nodded. For a moment he wondered why Beth looked so unnerved. Then he remembered seeing her talk to Henry a few moments before he called the team in to the meeting.

"Well, he knows more about Fisher and the FLF than the rest of us put together"

"A slight exaggeration Harry" Henry smiled. His Geordie accent plain as Zoe and Ruth exchanged glances. Zoe knew Ruth had been through every piece of information that existed on the FLF but there was no replacing personal experience of catching a terrorist. Henry Parks had personally arrested several members of the group, mostly while a young Harry had been fighting to get to Juliet. Harry stared at the oak table for a moment as the memories of Juliet screaming and then being found unconcious sprang to the forefront of his mind. Two weeks after the event he had found out about Jane's affair and the doubts she had about Graham's paternity. It was then he had found comfort with Juliet. Only later to find out he was actually Graham's biological father. He kept the memory to himself as Henry began outlining the threat that the Fisher brothers and the FLF actually posed.

Ruth caught Harry' s eye as Henry continued outlining the threat the group had posed in the 1980s. She bit her bottom lip. Harry sighed, he knew he would have to break eye contact but just having Ruth there made the memories less severe and he knew she had read the case reports that he, Connie and Juliet had submitted once they had returned from the Grid. Ruth was one of only a few people, doctors included that had seen the physical effects of an encounter with Craig Fisher. He was relieved that her acting skills and Henry's quick thinking had got them home before the same fate had befallen them.

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Ros glared out over the London skyline. Somewhere out there was a bomb. It was now blatently obvious that the three men in custody had not been workin in isolation. Ros closed her eyes. _Because that would be too easy wouldn't it? _She shook her head as she thought of the mentality of people that deliberately set out to hurt others. It would be something she was never going to understand. She remembered a time when she had found Jo hiding on the roof, away from the rest of the team. It felt like a lifetime ago. She sighed as she remembered telling Lucas she would speak to the younger woman and how broken Jo had been when she had finally found her on the roof top. She almost blamed Boscard for Jo's death, it seemed that something inside of her had died long before she had walked in to the basement on that fateful day. She closed her eyes as she rested her hand on her abdomen.

"Ros" Lucas almost breathed her name as he saw her silent and standing still at the edge of the roof. She didn't answer him. She wasn't sure she had the strength for another argument.

"Ros please" Lucas tried again as he stepped towards her. His ankle throbbed as he moved but he was glad he had left the crutches behind on the Grid. His ankle was badly sprained rather than broken.

"You stupid man" Ros shook her head as her blonde hair fell on to her face. He stood behind her as she spoke. He was terrified she was thinking of throwing herself from the roof. God knew he had thought the same thing after everything with Vaughan. He was so close Ros could feel his breath on her neck, his body heat warming her despite the cold December night. Briefly she wondered if it might snow.

"You could have died" Ros turned and thumped his chest with her fists. The emotion evident in her voice. "I could have lost you"

"No, never" Lucas grabbed her wrists as she continued to hit out at him. He knew this was the explosion he had been waiting for.

"You stupid idiot"

"Had to look after Henry and Ruth" He tried to reason with her as Ros suddenly became very still. All the emotion of her outburst had died away. She nodded once and Lucas realised he was slightly scared of her reaction. He held on to her wrists as she spoke.

"You lied to me! We were a lie from the start" Ros spat "All that bullshit and I fell for it. What does that make me?"

Lucas knew the dam was breaking. If he said the wrong thing now he would loose her forever, he prayed that he didn't mess things up. Ros still hadn't looked him in the eye.

"You know everything about me. Everything. You know about my family, my father, Colville, Yalta. Even bloody Adam and me" She shook her head. "But you are a stranger Lucas. I don't know you. It isn't just your name, I can't believe I was so stupid. So pathetic to fall for it all" She pulled away, staring over the London skyline. All she wanted to do was go home and be with Amy. Licas was silent as he heard Ros quietly ask.

"I never really knew you. Did I?"

He closed his eyes for a moment before resting his hands on her shoulders and turning her back to him. He gripped her shoulders as she finally looked him in the eye.

"I wanted to tell you. I should have told Harry the moment I met him and I should have told you on that Rememberance Day when Adam and I walked back on to the Grid. I am sorry. I am" His voice was low as his blue eyes searched her's for any sign she was understanding what he was saying. He watched as she tried to step backwards out of his grip only to find herself backed against the wall.

"John Bateman was a stupid, scared idiot. I ran. I should have stood up to Vaughan all those years ago. God I wish I had. I kept it from yo because I was scared. I thought if I kept it to myself I could protect you. I couldn't risk Vaughan finding out about you and you and Amy being at risk" Lucas watched as Ros looked directly at his chest.

"Maya?"

"She kissed me"

"I didn't see you fight her off" Ros knew she was being spiteful. She didn't care.

"You didnt stay around to find out. God Ros I love you. You, Amy and this baby are all that matter to me." Lucas was on the verge of tears as Ros felt her resolve weaken.

"Lucas"

"I told you once I thought I had always loved you. That I know I always will. That hasn't changed. It never will. Even when I was with Sarah I wished I was with you. I knew you were the one. Christ, when I saw you with Andrew Lawrence and he flirted with you I wanted to die"

Ros shook her head. She thumped his chest once more as he caught her wrist in his hand, holding her hand to his chest.

"I love you"

"Don't say that" Ros sighed.

"No more lies Ros. No more secrets" He brushed her hair from her face as her eyes fluttered closed. "I love you" he kissed her cheek as she sighed, thankful that the roof was deserted. For a moment all her fears about being left, of her marriage ending deserted her. His lips moved to hers as he kissed her gently. His heart soared as it was Ros who deepened the kiss, holding him to her as much as she could. They seperated only when the need for oxygen forced them to.

"Ros" Lucas rested his forehead against hers as her arms found their way around his neck.

"What?" She whispered, her voice was rough with emotion.

"We will be alright? Wont we?" Lucas had never been so unsure in his life.

"You and me? Lucas no more secrets, no more lies. I can't take it anymore not from you. I just can't take it" Ros ran a hand along his chest as she spoke. She could feel his heart beating beneath his t shirt. She closed her eyes as a rouge tear escaped despite her best efforts to stop it.

"Just us" Lucas kissed the tear away "You, me and the kids. Just us" Ros nodded as Lucas held her. He knew the damage he had done was irrepairable but maybe they could move on? Be stronger now? He held her tighter as Ros began to kiss him.

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Beth looked at Dimitri out of the corner of her eye. He was talking to Ruth and Malcolm about something, she couldn't make out what. For a moment she wondered if Henry was right. She liked Dimitri. He was her friend, the first person she had met on her first day on the Grid. She smiled at the memory. He was the only one who knew about her parents dying in a car crash ten years previously, when she was just twenty years old. She knew Harry would have read it in her file but Dimitri had appeared on the anniversary of their deaths with his bag of soggy chips and she had told him. Sighing she remembered his arms around her as she cried. It had felt right somehow, as had waking up on her sofa to find herself wrapped in his arms. _Get a grip Bailey, this is work. You work with him. Henry doesn't even know you or Dimitri. _She thought as she looked back at her computer. It was only when Dimitri made his way across to her desk that she looked up again.

"Beth are you ok?" He asked as he leant on Adam's desk

"Yeah thanks"

"Only you look a little flushed" Beth felt her face glow red as Dimitri rested a hand on her forehead. "Don't want you to be ill before Christmas, not with the party and everything" He smiled as she batted his hand away.

"I'm fine"

"Good, because I would hate for all that mistletoe to go to waste" He waggled his eyebrows as he walked away. Beth shook her head. It seemed Henry had been talking to him too. Operation Christmas had just got interesting.

**authors note. Well, we needed a little fluff didn't we? Please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Ghosts of the Past?**

Ros walked back on to the Grid to see the organised chaos that the place normally exuded multiplied ten fold. She caught Adam's arm as he passed her. The blonde spook stopped as she looked at him.

"Sit rep"

"Coded warning. We got thirty minutes to Armageddon" He rolled his eyes as Ros groaned.

"Location"

"Two possible" Ruth joined them, her head dipped as she read her notes.

"Go on" Ros walked along side her as Adam set about organising himself. He grabbed his jacket and yelled for Dimitri to follow him.

"Zoe took the message. Somehow they have the extension number for her phone. Anyway" Ruth paused as she turned the page in her note pad. Ros paused; she knew there was no point in rushing the Intel analyst. "Recognised code, same as before but instead of a location they sent us a riddle" Ruth sighed as Ros swore. Zoe was pulling on her jacket muttering something about how it was unfair the psychos always rang her and did she attract them or something?

"What is it?" Harry reached the women as Ruth sighed.

"The Bard weeps as the woman wails. Those crippled will walk in to the flames. Wait not for peace, it will never be. Death comes to those that sleep" She sighed "He who giveth shall have it taken, She who reaps will sow the seeds" Ruth tapped her pen against the note pad.

"And what the Hell is that supposed to mean?" Harry barked as Ros glared.

"The Bard clearly refers to Shakespeare." Ruth sighed "TARIQ!"

"Yup" Tariq didn't even look up from the screen.

"All London addresses with a reference to Shakespeare. Can you find them?" Ruth asked as Tariq rolled his eyes.

"Yup" He tapped a few keys. "There is a Shakespeare House near the club in Soho where Sienna Sapphire works"

Ruth walked towards the techi as Tariq kept tapping away at his computer. All the field officers, with the exception of Ros had left the Grid.

"Make sure the boys get the information" Ruth clearly had a theory "The woman wails? The woman wails?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ros glared.

"Oh my God" Ruth sighed as she looked at Harry. He nodded once.

"Ros stay on the Grid" Harry disappeared through the Pods as Ruth called his name. Ros pulled a face as she grabbed her jacket.

"I am still Section Chief, Harry" She was in no mood to be sidelined.

"And I am still your boss. Look I remember the last time you and Juliet were in the same room. That's where I am going. Stay here" He watched as Ros nodded. He avoided Ruth's gaze as the Pod doors closed around him.

"Ruth?" Ros knew she had missed something.

"The Shakespeare reference, Romeo and Juliet. Juliet Shaw is in Midsummer Ward at the rehab unit. She's in trouble. She who reaps" Ruth bit her bottom lip.

"She's a patient on Midsummer Ward. She's the woman that wails, the crippled that will walk in the flames" Ros closed her eyes as she followed Ruth's reasoning "Shit" Ros muttered as Ruth explained

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Adam" Ruth spoke in to the mobile as she walked around the Grid. She was too agitated to sit down. The team, including Harry had left the Grid over half an hour previously and Ruth was beginning to get on Ros' nerves.

"For God sake Ruth" She glared as Malcolm looked up "Stop pacing the bloody Grid. You'll wear the carpet out"

Ruth stopped dead in her tracks as she heard Ros chastise her. _Too much time with Harry _she smiled to herself. She listened while Adam gave her an update as he drove through the West London streets. Zaf sat next to him as they drove. The speaker phone allowed them both to hear what Ruth was saying.

"It has to be there" Ruth closed her eyes and prayed she was right. "The priority has to be find and disable the bomb. You know that" She watched as Tariq handed a printout to Ros.

"Yeah" Zaf answered "But Harry"

"Harry is on his own" Ruth chocked out the words before ending the call.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Harry nodded a hello to the young nurse on reception. For a moment he wondered where Ellie was, it was rare for him to visit Juliet and not run into the young nurse. She seemed to be one of the few people that could handle Juliet, even in the worst of her tempers. Before he could talk himself out of it he barged in to Juliet's room.

"Jules" He barked as she turned to face him. She was exhausted, there had been another gruelling physiotherapy session that had led to every muscle in her body aching. The last thing she needed now was a showdown with Harry Pearce.

"Harry"

"You have to come with me, it isn't safe here"

"Fisher?" Her words slurred as she spat his name. The speech therapy was going slower than she liked. Her elbows rested on the crutches as she waited for confirmation.

"Yes, well one of his lot. We had a warning that someone is going to kill you today. Come on Juliet" He tried and failed to usher her to the door.

"So you came"

"The team are looking for a bomb" He ran a hand through his thinning hair "You are a direct target"

"Fantastic Harry. Bloody fantastic" She spat as she hobbled towards him.

"Juliet please"

"Nice that somebody wants me these days" Juliet sighed as Harry took a step further in to the room. "Even if it is some psychopath with a thirty year old grudge"

Harry rolled his eyes as some of the famous Shaw sarcasm slipped to the surface. She stopped dead in her tracks as Harry tried to get her out of the room.

"Why are you helping me anyway? There was a time when you would have shot me yourself. Didn't I try to kill your precious Section Chief?"

"Yes, twice" Harry took her elbow and pulled her into the corridor. "No one, not even a murderous, self absorbed, prissy little bitch like you deserves to die at the hands of one of the Fisher brothers. And if it wasn't for you I never would have asked Ruth out all those years ago" Harry checked the corridor as he ushered her towards the car.

"Nice to know I am good for something" She checked the car park. Harry didn't answer as he half dragged her towards the car. Juliet knew her memory was appalling since she had shot herself in the head but she had no idea why she had wanted to hurt Ros, why she had even turned the gun on herself. At that moment all she could remember were the way she had screamed when Fisher had dragged her in to a cold deserted basement so many years ago and they way Harry had yelled for her as he'd been punched in the stomach. She looked at him, aware that his own memories were just below the surface.

"Why now?" She turned to him as he turned the engine of the Land Rover on.

"Fisher was released from prison. He always said he'd be back. He's a man of his word" Harry shrugged. Juliet shook her head.

"Great, an honourable psychopathic terrorist with friends. This gets better and better" Juliet folded her arms and wondered how she was ever going to face Ros.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Adam slammed the car to a halt as he heard Zoe and Beth on the comms. Both women seemed decidedly unhappy. He glanced out of the car window to the block of flats Ruth had directed them too.

"Adam" Zaf was suddenly serious as he unclipped his seatbelt. "If this is the place Tariq and Ruth think is the target we are in serious trouble"

Adam looked out of the window as he saw what Zaf meant. "Shit"

"Yeah" Dimitri could be heard through the comms "I'd say that again and we are up to our necks in it. Merry bloody Christmas"

Both Zaf and Adam left the car and walked towards their colleague who was leaning on a sign announcing that they were stood outside of Flats 200-310b of Shakespeare House.

"There has to be over 500 flats and maisonettes in this complex" Zoe announced as she reached them. Zaf nodded. Beth had walked a little away from her friends and colleagues. Shaking her head in disbelief she was unaware of Dimitri looking at her. Adam remembered a time when another block of flats had been under threat. He remembered Shining Dawn, Natasha the waitress and a gun at Zaf's head. He remembered a time when Fiona had been broken by witnessing a friend's death, Danny's funeral and the heartbreak his loss had cost the team. He sighed as he saw the various windows adorned with fairy lights and fake snow.

"Ok, lets find this bomb and get out of here. Zoe get the Bomb Squad down here." She nodded as she dialled the familiar number. "Zaf, Dimitri can we evacuate everyone?"

"No time" Dimitri answered as Adam swore.

"Ok, Beth" He turned to look for the team's most junior field officer "Beth?"

Dimitri turned around. He had taken his eyes off her for a second. She was used to working alone but never went off on her own these days. She had been called in to Harry's office for doing so and never wanted to repeat the experience. She was always with one of the team. It was Lucas that broke the silence as he walked over to the team.

"CO 19 on the way as are bomb squad" He narrowed his eyes as Zoe rolled hers. The phone was shoved back in her pocket. "Harry has left the Grid. Something about the second target"

Adam nodded once as he went to answer. Suddenly there was a scream piercing the December night air. The team were silent for a moment as the high pitched scream broke the night's peace.

"Beth!" Dimitri yelled before running off in the direction of the noise. Zoe and Zaf exchanged glances as they followed him, leaving Adam and Lucas to deal with the bomb.

"Merry bloody Christmas" Adam muttered as the sound of the Bomb Squad arriving caught his attention. It was going to be a long night.

**A/N Is Beth ok? Will Ros and Juliet meet on the Grid? Will Ros get her maternity leave? Please review. Should I introduce Alec too? **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Night Duty**

Beth elbowed her assailant in the ribs as she screamed. She did not appreciate being grabbed around the throat in the dark. The narrow alley way was covered in ice and the man that grabbed her slipped under the force of her counter attack. She screamed again as she saw the knife lunge towards her. Kicking out she knocked it from his hand as the attacker, no more than a teenager pushed past her and ran in to the estate. Beth swore fluently as her back connected with a flimsy partition and her head hit the wall. Seconds later Dimitri was in front of her.

"Beth!" He grabbed her hand as she struggled to her feet.

"Some cheeky little sod just tried to mug me. Stupid little idiot" She shook herself off as Dimitri smiled.

"Are you ok? Bailey?"

Beth stopped swearing for a moment and caught Dimitri's eye. Swallowing hard for a moment she couldn't answer. There was something in the way he looked at her that made her pause. It was the same look that she had seen in his eyes when he had appeared on her doorstep a few nights earlier. She nodded as Zoe and Zaf arrived.

"You alright Beth?" Zaf asked as she nodded. For a second she didn't trust herself not to say something incredibly stupid.

"Some kid just tried to mug her" Dimitri explained. Zaf was sure the flash of anger he saw cross Dimitri's face wasn't his imagination. Zaf shook his head.

"Poor kid won't try that twice!" Zaf watched as Zoe stepped past the small group.

"Good job he did. Beth, you just found the bomb" Zoe stepped back slightly as Zaf waved for Lucas and Adam to follow them with the bomb squad. _Maybe just maybe we are starting to get some of that Christmas luck Beth keeps going on about. _Zoe thought as Adam and the others ran towards them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wes couldn't sleep. There were only a few days left of school and he couldn't wait for the Christmas holidays. He stared at the ceiling wondering whether his Dad had come home yet. It was after midnight but there was no way he was going to get anymore sleep until he checked things out. Sighing heavily he climbed out of bed.

"Wes?" Carrie yawned as the young boy made it into the living room. "What are you doing up?"

She turned away from the rolling news report on Sky News. It had become a nightly habit, watching the news. Especially now she knew what Adam really did for a living. She watched the young boy as she made room for him on the sofa.

"So, Dad working late again?"

"Yeah" Carrie sighed. Wes wasn't a baby anymore; he knew his father had a dangerous job that the same job had indirectly led to his mother being murdered. "Emma and Amy are sleeping here tonight. That's ok isn't it?"

Wes nodded "Course it is, the girls are cool" He yawned.

"My dad" He paused "His job is weird isn't it? I mean he said my Gran was coming down from Blackpool for Christmas. But I bet we don't get to see him much. And you are going away" He shrugged.

Carrie stared at him. He was so much like his father that is was uncanny. The same charm smile, the same eyes. She sighed as the young boy looked at his feet.

"Not for long. I have to see my parents and our Caitlin or they will forget what I look like" She smiled as Wes sighed.

"Yeah"

"I am coming back though"

"Christmas is for families isn't it? If you and Dad were married we would be family and you wouldn't have to go away on your own. They could come here to see you or we could all go. Because we would be family" He yawned as Carrie felt her eyes fill with tears.

"I am coming back. And you and Adam are family as far as I am concerned"

"People leave all the time. They say they will come back. They never do. Like Mum, Like Jo, like Danny. Either that or they are gone for ages. Like Auntie Ruth, like Zaf and Zoe. Like Dad"

"They came back Wes. Ruth, Zaf, Zoe and all the others came back." Carrie hugged the young boy "Your Dad came home, so will I"

"Yeah"

"I promise"

"Ok"

"Right, bed. You have school in the morning" She watched as Wes turned on his best puppy dog eyes.

"I have a stomach ache"

"No, you have double maths. I saw the timetable. Bed young man. Move it!" She laughed slightly as Wes dragged himself back to his room.

Xxxxxxxxx

Malcolm placed a mug of camomile tea in front of Ros as she sat at her desk. She was nervous about seeing Juliet again. It hadn't been long since the fight in the church where Juliet had tried to kill her; the memories of Yalta and faking her own death were at the forefront of her mind as she saw Malcolm look at her.

"Thank you"

"Good for the nerves" He smiled as he sat next to her. Tariq and Ruth were talking quietly and trying to get hold of Adam.

"Nerves?"

"I know you Ros" She smiled as he spoke. Malcolm was right, he did know her. If it wasn't for Malcolm she wasn't sure what would have happened to her after the hotel explosion.

"Yeah" She sighed. Malcolm had been a friend to her when she really thought she hadn't deserved it. She watched the older man as he spoke.

"I talked with Harry"

"Right"

"He has collected Juliet from the rehab centre. Has no reason to believe they have been followed" Malcolm watched as Ros reverted to Ice Queen Mode. It happened less and less but sometimes it was evident. Malcolm knew it was a self defence mechanism.

"So they are on the way back here"

"No" Ros frowned as he spoke. "An old contact of Harry's is going to baby sit. We thought it best that a known traitor did not come back here"

"Who?"

"Alec White. He's an ex officer, dishonourable discharge back in the late 1990s. Good man, he was kicked out of the service in the same mess that saw my Sarah put in prison" Malcolm frowned at the memory. "He has experience of body guarding the more difficult people we see. He should be fine with Juliet" He watched as Ros visibly seemed to relax.

"And besides, I think he feared for the safety of the Grid should Juliet be here with yourself and Ruth" Ros shook her head and smiled. She couldn't help but think he had a point.

"Ros" Tariq called across to her as Malcolm returned to his own workstation.

"Yes"

"Beth found the Bomb. Bomb Squad have disarmed it" He smiled.

"Good. Get them all back here"

The relief that not only was Juliet not coming to the Grid but that the bomb had also been disabled was palpable. Ruth caught Ros' eye as both women smiled.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry drove in silence towards the East London address Malcolm had given him. He knew Juliet would not like the plan but at that point she had little choice and he didn't care. Part of him was wondering exactly why he had felt the need to prevent her murder when she had caused so much pain and destruction. But then he reasoned to himself that he couldn't let her die. Not after surviving Fisher once and after all it was Christmas.

"Where are we going?" Juliet finally asked as Harry drove towards Bow.

"To see a friend" Harry slowed the car as they reached a zebra crossing.

"Not the Grid?" Juliet was amazed.

"No" He smiled slightly as he turned the car onto a side street. Juliet stared out of the window, watching the Christmas lights pass as Harry drove. It was gone midnight when they reached the once fashionable apartment buildings that were now covered in graffiti. Harry escorted Juliet in to the building a little more forcibly than she would have liked. Harry chuckled slightly as she shot him a death glare.

"Yeah?" Alec leant on the door frame as he answered it on Harry's first knock. It was clear he had been sleeping on the sofa while he waited for Harry.

"Remember that favour I asked you?" Harry stated.

"Yeah" He cast an eye at Juliet.

"She's it. Keep her alive until I get back here" He ushered Juliet in to the flat as he spoke. Alec frowned at the brunette who was perched on her crutches in his front room.

"Juliet Shaw"

"Yes" She snapped. Her cut glass accent jarred Alec's nerves.

"Bloody hell" He turned to face his unwanted guest "Who wants you dead this time?"

Harry chuckled as he removed a stack of old newspapers off a battered leather sofa. Juliet raised an eyebrow.

"Who doesn't?" Juliet answered.

"Long story" Harry sighed "There's a bit of a queue. I can't take her to the Grid." Juliet shot him a death glare which he ignored.

"You owe me Alec"

"Don't I know it" Alec shook his head as Juliet raised an eyebrow.

"Juliet, behave yourself. Alec you have my number, I'll be in touch." Alec nodded as he showed Harry to the door.

"How long?"

"Do you have any other plans for Christmas?" Harry smiled as Alec looked astounded. He shook his head. "Stop her getting killed" He shook Alec's hand before stepping out into the night.

Xxxxxxxxx

Beth looked around the Grid. It had been half an hour since they had all returned as instructed. Her head ached and she felt sick although she was certain she was not going to tell the others she felt unwell. The concerned looks Dimitri kept sending her were bad enough as it was. Ruth smiled at her friend before handing her a tube of arnica cream.

"He only worries about you, you know that" She nodded towards Dimitri as Beth sighed.

"Yeah, no need though"

"Isn't there?" Ruth watched as Beth turned her face back to the computer. She shook her head as Dimitri crossed to speak to Beth.

"That kid that mugged you" he started as Ruth did her best to show she wasn't listening.

"Will have sore ribs and a black eye in the morning. Cheeky little sod" Beth watched as Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I told you I can take care of myself"

"Yeah" He sighed. He was grateful that Ros broke the tension in the air.

"Thank you everyone. Message from Harry. Go home, get some rest. We made good progress tonight; we just have to wait for ballistics and forensics to get back to us." She watched the assembled officers. "Home, those that do not need to be here get out of here" She watched as everyone except Ruth seemed to move "Remember from 7 am Adam is acting Section Chief. See you at the Christmas party in a few days. Thank you everyone"

Ruth watched the rest of the team prepare to leave as she glanced at her clock. _Was it really 3 am? Really? _Ruth sighed as she rested her head on her hand.

"Go home Ruth" Malcolm instructed her.

"Soon, when Harry gets back" Ruth sighed as Malcolm smiled.

"Of course" He answered his friend as the Grid slowly emptied. It seemed Ruth and Harry would always be waiting for each other.

**author's note. Well I thought we hadnt seen Wes for a while. Not long until Christmas now. What will Dimitri do with the Mistletoe? Also who has still to go shopping for the Secret Santa? More soon xx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer still not mine. Oh major fluff alert, mainly because I am in a good mood and I have been mean enough to everyone in Section D! :D**

**Postcards in Winter**

Ruth decided that the only way she could wait for Harry was to get some caffeine inside her. She began to shut down the computer before walking towards the kitchenette in search of her good coffee, hoping that Zaf hadn't discovered the latest hiding place.

Xxxxxxx

Harry was smiling to himself as he parked the Range Rover beneath Thames House. He knew Alec was not going to be happy to be stuck with Juliet but he really was the best person to baby-sit. He chuckled to himself at the memory of Juliet's death glare as she realised she was being left there. Some of the old Juliet was returning, even if her death glare was nothing compared to Ros'. He almost felt sorry for Alec as he walked back on to the Grid. He looked around the Grid, surprised that all the officers seemed to be absent. It appeared everyone, including Ruth had gone home. He smiled slightly, at the thought she was finally getting some rest. It was then he saw the sole angle poise lamp that was still rebelliously switched on.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth busied herself in the kitchenette, trying not to think about when she was going to get time to go shopping for the Secret Santa. She had no idea what to get Lucas, but she knew there wasn't time to go internet shopping. She tapped the countertop wondering whether Catherine would go shopping with her in the next day or so. She was better at shopping than she was. She smiled, thinking about the presents she had bought for Charlie at a time when she didn't think she would be buying anything for young children ever again.

"You don't have to wait for me all the time" Harry kissed her neck as he spoke. Ruth knew no one else was on the Grid but it didn't mean that she didn't blush. She smiled as the kettle that took too long to boil and the coffee were long forgotten.

"I'll wait Harry, you know that" She closed her eyes as the kisses continued.

"I just don't want you to feel you have to"

"How did it go with Alec and her?" Ruth turned in her husband's arms as she spoke. Harry sighed.

"Lets just say relations are somewhat strained" Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"Poor Alec"

"He's used to babysitting rouge agents. He'll be ok"

"And they don't come worse than her" He noticed Ruth had not mentioned Juliet's name once. He kissed her again effectively silencing the next question. He knew he affair with Juliet was ancient history but he knew it was also common knowledge but there was no way he was going to let Ruth think there were any romantic feelings between him and his old flame. He knew the reappearance of Jane and then Tessa hadn't helped Ruth's insecurity. Ruth pulled back slightly as the need for oxygen became too much.

"Ros told everyone Adam is now the acting Section Chief"

"Finally" Harry sighed "I was beginning to think that baby was going to be born on the Grid. God knows Amy nearly was"

"I know" Ruth bit her lip

"Would like to see the DG's face when I said why needed a new carpet if she did have the baby here" Ruth pulled a face as Harry laughed.

"Harry" She shook her head.

"Let's go home" His voice was soft as he leant in to almost whisper it in her ear. Ruth smiled at his suggestion before taking his hand in hers and walking off the Grid.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas was glad to be home. He was relieved Ros had finally given in and begun her maternity leave. She seemed so much more tired during this pregnancy compared to when she was carrying Amy. He put it down to the inquiry, Maya and everything that had happened between them along with having a toddler to run around. He was also glad they had decided to let Amy stay at Carrie's place until the morning. He busied himself in the kitchen while Ros went off to have a shower. He was still worried about her and that things weren't right between them but he had to admit they were a lot better than they had been.

"Ros?" He called as he heard her turn the water off

"Yeah" He leant on the bathroom door as she wrapped her dressing gown around her. Her hair stuck to her head with water as he ran his eyes over her.

"You ok?"

"Lucas"

"You are on maternity leave now? Properly? No more nipping back on the Grid. No more helping out. You need your rest" He watched as Ros rolled her eyes.

"Lucas. I am pregnant. I am not incapacitated. The brain still works"

"Yeah but in your condition" He regretted the words as she stepped towards him.

"In my condition I can still take out the likes of Fisher out in five minutes" She held his gaze as he nodded.

"Yeah I know" He smiled as she kissed him. He found his arms wrapping themselves around her as she pulled back. "But please don't. Just this once please try to at least have some maternity leave"

Ros rolled her eyes again as he lead her in to the bedroom. He just hoped the case really was over so that there was no reason for Ros to be called back on to the Grid.

Xxxxxxxxx

Zoe walked along the street from her car to the flat she shared with Emma. She was relieved that Emma had stayed the night with Carrie; it was too late to be taking the five year old out in the middle of the night. She sighed as she looked at the snow on the ground, wondering how a country as advanced as the UK could panic with a bit of snow on the ground.

"Zoe" Zaf laughed as he walked next to her and picked up a handful of snow. None of them had been aware it had started snowing when they had been back on the Grid. The light flurry was now settling on the ground and Zaf just knew it would lead to daily news bulletins of weather related chaos. He didn't care, he loved the snow. Zoe turned back to him just in time to see the snowball in his hand.

"No!" She laughed and ran a few steps ahead. "Don't you dare! "

He easily caught her but dropped the snowball at his own feet as she held on to the front of his parka.

"What?" Zaf was the picture of innocence as he watched her eyes widen in shock that the snowball had ended up on the floor and not down her back. "Suspicious mind you, Reynolds"

"Yeah I wonder why" Zoe smiled as he turned deadly serious.

"Would never hurt you and Emma. You know that right?" Zoe saw the flash of fear that crossed his eyes as he spoke. She knew what he was telling her. He wasn't Will.

"I know" She hugged him to her "I know"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth intended to collapse in bed the minute she was through the front door. There was nothing and no one that was going to stop her head hitting the pillow. Yawning she was glad she had agreed to the lift Dimitri had offered. Tariq was asleep in the back of the car as they left Henry and Malcolm outside of Malcolm's house. Dimitri idlylly wondered what Sarah would make to the impromptu house guest. Malcolm waved as he watched them drive off. Beth half heartedly waved back, glad that the senior techi had stopped Tariq from trying to find out who had got him for the Secret Santa. Dimitri just laughed as he drove off. He was just glad Tariq was sleeping in the back of the car.

"Beth" He turned the corner as the snow began to get heavier. She turned to him as the windscreen wipers began to beat out a steady rhythm.

"Mm?"

"How about we get Tariq home and then get a drink?"

"I am so tired" She rested her head back on the headrest and winced as the bruise that was forming against her temple hurt.

"You shouldn't be alone after a head injury. Anything could happen. Some of the stuff I saw when I was at sea. Little bangs on the head turned out to be really serious. Big blokes too, really hurt in the smallest of falls" He pulled the car to a stop just outside Tariq's home.

"You trying to scare me Sailor Boy?" Beth was suddenly more alert. Dimitri held her gaze his green eyes boring in to her blue ones.

"No, just don't want anything bad to happen to you" He answered honestly. Beth couldn't help but smile as she realised he actually did care about her. She touched his hand as he seemed to lean in to her a little more than usual.

"Ok, you could stay for a while. Make sure I don't die in my sleep" She smiled as Dimitri nodded. He reached a hand up to her face as Tariq rubbed a hand over his face.

"Thanks for the lift" Tariq yawned as Dimitri and Beth pulled back as if they had been shot.

"No problem mate" Dimitri didn't break eye contact with Beth as Tariq left the car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam climbed in to bed still thinking about the case. Morris and Fisher were in custody. The bomb had been disarmed. _Too easy? What else have they got planned? _He closed his eyes as Carrie turned in her sleep, draping an arm over his chest. _Tomorrow, Carter worry about it tomorrow._

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Ruth yawned as Harry opened the front door. They would have to be up in a couple of hours. She rested her head against the wall as Harry finally got the door open, only to be greeted by Muggles who was awake in an otherwise quiet house.

"Hello" Ruth picked up the tabby cat as he purred in her arms as Harry dumped his coat over the banister. She smiled as the rescue cat decided he had said his hellos and was off back to bed. He jumped from Ruth's arms and knocked Harry's coat to the floor. Harry had long since abandoned the hallway in search of something to drink. Ruth sighed and picked the coat up, hanging it in its proper place on the coat rack behind the door. She smiled.

"How long has he had this coat eh Muggles?" She touched the velvet collar as the car stared up at her "Before I left that's for certain" It was then she saw it. The small piece of card that had fallen to the ground when Muggles had knocked the coat to the floor. She sat on the first stair staring at it. _He kept it? That postcard? He never told me he kept it. Oh Harry. _The tears immediately flooded her eyes as Harry emerged from the kitchen.

"Ruth?" He had no idea why she was crying quietly on the stairs. She shook her head as he sat next to her. It was then he saw the postcard.

"Harry" She bit her lip as she buried her head in his chest. Harry closed his eyes as he held her to him. "You kept it. I didn't even know if it got here but you kept it" He nodded as he took the small ragged edged postcard from her hands.

"Of course I did. It was what I thought would be the last thing both of us would have touched" He cursed himself for his over sentimentality. Ruth held him a little tighter.

"You kept it and you waited for me. Even though there was really no chance we'd see each other again" She wiped her eyes with her hand and pulled away slightly. Harry nodded.

"There was always a chance"

"Not really. Neither of us knew" She sighed "But you waited"

"Ruth, I'll always wait. You know that I'll always wait for you"

**A/N too fluffy? Back to the plot next time and the girls may just have to go shopping. Is everything with Fisher really finished and can Juliet and Alec survive with each other? Please let me know what you think. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Scrooge!**

Beth was the first person to arrive on the Grid. That in itself was unusual. Harry and Ruth were always there before everyone else. The fact it was her arriving first was about as unnerving as the almost kiss between herself and Dimitri the night before. It seemed her friendship with the former naval man was becoming more and more complicated. Sighing she sat at her desk and waited for the computer to load up. The Pod doors whooshed open to allow Malcolm to enter the Grid.

"Morning" He walked straight towards the kitchenette in search of coffee as Beth reached for her advent calender.

"Hi Malcolm" She smiled as she opened door number 18 "Not long to the party, hope you got your secret santa sorted"

"Mmm" Was all the response she got. Malcolm hadn't even thought about what he was going to buy. The whole idea of Secret Santa was not something he had given much thought to. All he wanted was a quiet day with Sarah. After all it was their first Christmas together. But now that looked like it wasn't going to happen. Her brother Rhys and his family had invited them down to Cardiff, and Malcolm new how much her nieces Carys and Anwen and nephew Michael meant to her. He couldn't bare to stop her going. He smiled slightly as he thought of the red head woman he had left good naturedly arguing with Henry. He heard Beth swear loudly as Zaf and Adam laughed. He sighed, it was going to be a long day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth still couldn't believe Harry had kept the postcard. She also couldn't believe they were running late. She was never late. Ever. It just didn't happen. She pulled on her coat as Harry picked up his coffee mug.

"We are late" Ruth grabbed the car keys as Catherine walked in carrying Charlie. The baby was gurgling and smiling as Catherine put him in his bouncy chair. Ruth couldn't help but smile as Harry began chatting away to the baby.

"Dad" Catherine laughed. "I don't think Charlie really cares about your meeting with the JIC"

"No? Neither do I really" He chuckled as Ruth rolled her eyes. The baby rewarded his grand dad with a gummy grin.

"Well whether you care or not. We are going to be late" Ruth ushered him out of the living room towards the car.

Catherine shook her head as Charlie frowned. He really hadn't wanted his funny grandad to go. Catherine smiled as the baby was easily distracted by the fairy lights on the Christmas tree.

"What are we going to do with them eh? Right, let's get uncle Graham out of his pit." She sighed as she wondered exactly why her brother was so late home the night before. She also began to wonder why Ruth had got so upset about a postcard but then didn't like to ask when she had only overheard part of the conversation the night before. She heard the car reving and tyres crunching in the ice as Harry drove away.

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Dimitri ran on to the Grid. He sighed as he saw the lights in Harry's office were empty. Tariq and Malcolm were absorbed in something or other at the computer while Adam and Zaf were talking about going to see and asset. He wondered briefly who Natasha was and why she was suddenly such a reliable asset. Lucas was talking to Zoe and pointing at something on her computer screen as Beth walked in from the kitchentte carrying a mug of coffee. For the first time since he had met her Dimitri was slightly nervous. _I could have kissed her last night. If it wasnt for Tariq I would have kissed her. Shit Levandis, snogging your best mate isn't really on is it? You'd be lucky if she so much as looks at you again. Lucky she didn't punch my lights out. But then the other morning she didn't object at waking up in your arms did she? _He smiled slightly at the memory.

"Hi" Beth smiled as he walked in to the Grid.

"Hi" He held his breath slightly as he saw her smilie at him. He hoped he hadn't ruined their friendship. It had been a long time time since he had been mates with someone rather than just colleagues.

"You ok Sailor Boy?" Yeah he grinned, _things were going to be ok._

_xxxxxxxxxxxx_

Harry really didn't want to go to the meeting with the JIC and the Home Secretary. He knew it was intended to be the last big meeting of the year, unless there was some major security alert. As it was the alert was already the second highest since he had taken the job as Section D's Head. He just hoped the ice and snow made potential terrorists think again, for one thing he hoped Beth got the party she had put so much effort in to. He smiled as he thought of the enthusiasm Beth had about the festive season. Once again he was reminded of Danny and Jo. Both the young officers had been up for any sort of celebration. Christmas had always been the perfect excuse for letting their hair down. He shook his head as he walked along the corridor at Whitehall remembering Danny proclaiming himself DJ Spooksman. _So many losses, can we survive anymore? Colin, Danny, Fiona, Connie, Joanna. So many gone before their time. So many jaded and corrupted, Connie, Tom, who next? _He passed a lavishly decorated Christmas tree full of red bows and multicoloured lights as William Towers approached.

"Ah, Harry" The larger man extended a hand.

"Home Secretary"

"Ready to do battle once more? That idiot from 6 is trying my patience. Once again I thank my lucky stars I got the Home Office rather than the Foreign Office. Eton educated fop as he is. Can you believe Pearson wants the budget directed towards them this year? Ridiculous. Back me on this Harry, but we want the majority of the budget focused on domestic terrorism." He walked alongside Harry.

"Remind me Home Secretary" Harry couldn't resist a chance to goad his boss. "You went to Eton too didn't you?"

William Towers opened his mouth to answer before shaking his head and laughing. A young secretary raised her eyes as she walked past them. Harry couldnt help but smirk slightly as he saw the look of bemusement on the Home Secretary's face.

"Yes, well. Yes. That's besides the point Harry" Harry shook his head as he followed his boss in to the Meeting Room.

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Zoe slapped Zaf's hand away as he pinched one of her crisps. His mock offended look made her want to laugh as she rescued her cheese and onion crisps from him.

"Oi" She laughed as Ruth placed a stack of NO EYES files on her desk.

"The Intelligence on the FLF. SHould be enough to get them to Court in the New Year. I don't think there is part of the 2008 Act they haven't broken" Ruth sighed as she went to walk back to her desk.

"Ruth" Zaf turned to her.

"Yes?"

"You and Harry were late"

"Yes"

"You and Harry are never late" He waggled his eyebrows at her as Zoe rolled her eyes. "Good night?"

"First time for everything Zaf" Ruth sighed. She knew he would be the one to mention her lateness that morning "And yes since you ask. It was a lovely night"

Zaf's face was priceless as Adam crossed the room to him. Ruth and Zoe smiled slightly as the normally cheeky field officer was, for once dumbfounded as Ruth smiled back at him innocently.

"Ah mate, not an image I needed before lunch!" He laughed as Adam almost pulled him from his chair. The women watched them leave as Zoe turned to her friend.

"So, Ruth. Are you ready for Christmas? Did you buy a present for the Secret Santa yet?" She was wide eyed with exitement as Ruth rolled her eyes.

"No, I haven't got the Secret Santa yet. You?"

"No, right lunchtime we are meeting Ros and Amy and hitting the shops" Zoe grinned.

"Ros? Shopping?" Ruth almost laughed.

"Yes, whether she likes it or not. I have to get something for Zaf and my Mum so please come Ruth" Zoe rested her head on her hand as she spoke. Ruth knew she would be in Oxford Street with Ros and Zoe whether she likes it or not.

"Ok, ok." She turned back to her computer wondering just what she had let herself in for. Suddenly the lights crashed as the emergency generator kicked in with a bang. Malcolm swore loudly as the entire Grid was bathed in an artificial blue glow as Harry just managed to escape the Pod before the system shut down.

"This better not be an EERIE exercise! Not with the party in three days!" Beth fumed as Harry called them all to the Briefing Room. Beth was beginning to think they would never get to have the party she had dragged Dimitri in to planning with her.

**A/N Just a filler chapter. Please let me know what you think xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Memories**

Harry glared at the now closed Pod as he stepped away from it. Dimitri almost felt sorry for the inanimate object, having been on the recieving end of a Harry Pearce glare on more than one occasion. He watched as his boss walked towards them, lucky that his coat had not been trapped in the now sealed Pod door. Beth was also clearly still upset as she stormed back to her computer.

"There are no EERIE exercise planned" Harry tried not to sound alarmed. He really didn't want to think about what it could be if it wasn't an impromptu security exercise.

"You said that last time" Zoe sighed as she successfully rebooted her computer.

"There was a last time?" Tariq looked surprised as both Malcolm and Ruth nodded. Lucas shrugged. Harry was suddenly very aware that only four of the team had been present during the original EERIE exercise and that Tariq was probably still at school in those days. Suddenly he felt very old.

"Yes" Malcolm answered "When Tom Quinn was Section Chief"

"A lifetime ago" Ruth sighed as she too turned to the group. The news that they were locked in was slightly worrying but she was slightly relieved that she didn't have to spend her lunchtime shopping with Zoe and Ros. _There was a silver lining to most things _she mused as Harry nodded before leaning against her desk. He frowned as he stared at the Christmas tree. The tree had been decorated by Beth and Dimitri a couple of days before. It was beautiful, all the baubles and lights shining in the half light of the now blueish tinted Grid. He watched as Ruth followed his eye line. _Beth's tree has Christmas lights all over it. The lights are still lit. In a power cut yet the lights are still lit._

"Beth? Your tree lights? Battery operated?" He asked as he approached the tree. The blonde shook her head.

"No, I had them from M&S!" Beth answered. It was then that she realised what he was really asking her.

"Then can someone explain why the lights are still on?" Harry turned as no one answered him. Tariq ran a hand through his thick black hair wondering how he was going to explain to Julie that there was no way he was going to be at the cinema to meet her tonight. He sighed, as he pushed the thoughts of the leggy brunette out of his mind to think about what was actually happening.

"In an ERRIE exercise the only power that will remain on are the emergency lights and the computer system. There is no way that the tree should still be lit up" He answered as Malcolm approached the tree.

"Then what the ?" Harry was cut of by a look from Ruth.

"See if the phone lines are working" Harry barked as he headed back to his office. He was worried, the last time he had been briefed on the plans for a mock terrorist attack. He had known he was supposed to fake his death to see how Tom and the others coped without a leader. In truth the only ones that had really coped well were Ruth and Colin. Tom had almost become a facist dictator whereas Danny had been scared while Zoe had done her best to prove she was a good agent. He smiled slightly Zoe had been so young then, not much older than Tariq was now. But it was Ruth that had kept everyone calm, only showing how angry she was when he emerged alive and unscathed. It was the first time she had sworn at him. It was the first time he realised what he felt for his Intel Analyst. Shaking his head he wondered if it was just a badly timed EERIE exercise and this time, after everything with Albany, Syria and Lucas he was being tested. He got to his feet as he realised that not all the team were on the Grid.

"Ruth!" He called as she looked up "Location for everyone please"

"Ros, maternity leave. No knowledge of what is going on here . Adam and Zaf are off the Grid, should be on the way back by now" Ruth watched as Harry nodded "Beth, Malcolm, Dimitri, Zoe, Lucas and Tariq are here. The phone lines are down, Dimitri is trying to ring Stan on his mobile."

"Thank you"

"You're welcome" Ruth snapped back as Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Ruth, if this is an EERIE then I haven't been informed of it. If I had the entire team would be here by now" He almost barked the words as Dimitri approached them.

"Yes?" Harry barked at the younger man.

"It isn't an EERIE" He smiled "Mobile is working. I just spoke to Stan. Power failure, no idea why the Christmas tree is still on but it isnt only the Grid that is affected. All the lifts are out, Section K is trapped too and the lights in the DG's office are flashing on and off in time with the tune of Jingle Bells" Dimitri laughed.

"Really?" Ruth didn't want to laugh but the thought of the DG trapped in his office being tortured by Jingle Bells after the way he had treated Harry during the enquiry did seem like justice.

"Well, apart from the last bit" Dimitri laughed as Harry smirked. Ruth turned to look at the tree, wondering why the lights were still on. She frowned slightly as she saw what she was sure was the faint image of Jo looking at the presents beneath the tree. No one else seemed to notice as Jo turned to her and waved before disappearing in to the ether.

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Ros pushed Amy's pushchair along Oxford Street. She was due to meet Zoe and Ruth in less than five minutes. She was going to be late, not that Amy seemed to mind. Ros sighed, pushing a toddler in a pushchair through hoards of Christmas shoppers while 33 weeks pregnant was not something she had ever thought she would do. Amy began to grizzle slightly as Ros sighed.

"Ok Shorty not long and we will meet Auntie Ruth in the cafe" Ros spoke quietly as Amy clapped her hands.

"Roof!" She shouted.

"Not yet. We're late as usual" Ros laughed as Amy pouted. "Oh that doesn't work with me madam. Might with your dad but not me"

Amy sighed as dramatically as a 14 month old child could before laughing as Ros rolled her eyes. It was then Ros' mobile rang. Amy watched as Ros answered the phone.

"What do you mean? Your literally stuck on the Grid?" Ros hung up the phone after hearing Ruth explain that they were literally trapped on the Grid. "Right, Amy we're going in to work" Ros couldn't help but laugh as Amy clapped her hands.

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Adam jogged up the steps to Thames House as Zaf lagged behind. He was a big kid when it came to snow. He was in no rush to get inside and start typing up reports. He sighed as Adam turned to tell him to get a move on. It was then Zaf spotted Ros pushing the pram towards Thames House.

"Ros!" He jogged back down the steps towards her.

"Ruth called me. Trouble on the Grid. Apparently no one can get in or out" She stopped as Zaf laughed.

"Seriously?" Adam asked as he reached them.

"No Adam I made it all up as an excuse to get back on to the Grid." Ros deadpanned as Zaf smirked.

"Can't keep away from my natural charm eh Boss?" Zaf laughed as Adam rolled his eyes. Amy laughed.

"No" Ros watched him as the baby giggled, the snow now falling heavier than ever "As crazy as it sounds I just can't keep away from the place" She pulled out her mobile as it began ringing again.

"Lucas?" She asked as she spoke in to the phone. Zaf had already taken Amy out of the pram as Adam tried and failed to make the thing collapse. She ended the call quickly as she walked towards the main entrance to Thames House. If anyone knew what was going on it was Stan and she intended to find out why her friends and colleagues were stuck on the Grid.

"Ros!" Zaf walked after her as Adam shook his head. She didn't answer as Adam caught up with her.

"Ros you are on maternity leave" They both paused as they reached the main reception of Thames House. Once again Ros was amazed by the huge tree that was dominating the foyer.

"Really Adam?" She pointed to her abdomen, now much larger than usual "I hadn't noticed"

**A/N just a filler chapter to get Ros back to sort out the team. How are they stuck on the Grid? How long will they be there? Will they make it to the party? Where is all the mistletoe? More soon :D**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer not mine**

**The Spook that saved Christmas?**

Stan smiled at Amy as she clapped her hands. Zaf promptly handed her back to Ros as Adam asked Stan what was happening. Amy didn't seem to mind, she was enjoying having her mum to herself for a while.

"Not to worry, Section K is in the same state. The DG is having trouble with the lighting too. I got an engineer on the way. I tell you if the maintenance was kept up to date then we would not be having this bother. It is Christmas week for goodness sake" Stan smiled as Amy rested her head on Ros' shoulder, she was pretending to be shy. Adam shook his head, there was no way a daughter of Ros Myers and Lucas North could even contemplate the concept of shy. Adam had already decided the toddler was a natural spook.

"So this isnt an attack?" Zaf sighed, clearly relieved.

"Funny sort of attack they have if they leave the computer system alone. And with Section K in the same state. What are Section K anyway?" Stan genuinely didn't know. It was really only Harry Pearce's team that bothered talking to the security guards.

"Close protection, computer fraud I think" Zaf answered. "Nothing like what we do"

"SANTA!" Amy pointed as all four adults turned to see Henry walk towards them accompanied by a rather harrased looking Sarah.

"Hello young lady" Henry smiled at Amy. It wasn't the first time a toddler had made the same mistake. "Problem?" He turned to the rest of the team.

"Secion D are stuck up there" Zaf sighed as Sarah looked immediately worried.

"Technical problems" Ros answered. Both Adam and Zaf remembered the last time lockdown had been blamed on a technicality. The technicality had turned out to be a 5ft 4 blonde nightmare that had put Adam in Intensive Care. Zaf sighed as he looked towards the lifts that no longer worked, wondering if it might be worth climibing the stairs and trying to break in to Section D.

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"Ruth?" Malcolm watched as Ruth appeared to be miles away.

"Last time we were trapped here" Malcolm sighed as Ruth spoke. She noticed he was staring off in to space.

"Colin and I had to explain a great big hole in the wall" He shook his head at the memory. Both were looking at the still lit up Christmas tree. While it was beautiful, the fact it was still lit was starting to concern Malcolm. He could only think about the emergency back up supply organisers had labelled the power points wrong. He was shook from his thoughts as he wondered what Colin would have said. He remembered Colin's ill fated attempt at escaping Angela Wells. He always had a plan for getting them in to more trouble than they usually found themselves in. He smiled at the memory. Colin had decided they were to at least try to escape from Angela Wells, neither of them had known it was Ruth that would lie through her teeth to talk the former agent down. Ruth did not remember the experience as fondly as Malcolm seemed to. She smiled sadly as she thought of their old friend.

"Mice"

"Very big, very nasty mice" Malcolm chuckled. No one had believed them. He suddenly grew serious as he turned to face Ruth.

"What are you thinking?"

"I need to talk to Harry" She stood, glanced at the tree one more time before heading in to the office.

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Lucas looked across at Malcolm as he passed the Intel Analyst. He headed towards Tariq's desk carrying two mugs of coffee. It seemed the kitchenette was unaffected by the power cut, but then Harry had insisted the kettle was hooked up to the emergency electrical system. He winced slightly as Beth decided to use her computer to play music. There was little they could do before the doors opened and let them get on with their work. She was desperate to get off the Grid. Lucas narrowed his eyes as Glee's version of Last Christmas blasted out of the computer. It wasn't something he would have chosen to listen to. Dimitri shook his head and laughed as the music blared across the Grid.

"Harry" Ruth stepped in to the office and closed the door behind her. The music was still audible despite the closed door.

"What is that infernal racket?" Harry looked past Ruth in to the Grid.

"Beth"

"Ah" He smiled slightly "Should have guessed. Look at them"

"Ruth and Dimitri? Obvious isn't it?" She smiled as she followed his eyeline.

"If even I notice, it must be"

"Pity they don't realise it" Ruth sighed

"But then it took us long enough to realise" Harry squeezed her hand as he spoke. Ruth nodded once. Beth and Dimitri seemed completely oblivious to being watched. Dimitri seemed to be teasing Beth about something.

"Better late than never eh Ruth?" Harry was so close Ruth could smell his aftershave. It was the one she had bought him for his birthday. She nodded as she closed her eyes. Harry smiled, he loved the effect he still had on her. When he was married to Jane she had been cheating on him by now. He had already had the first of several flings with Juliet. He kissed Ruth's hair as she turned to face him. _This was different, so different_ Harry thought.

"Harry, I was thinking" Ruth watched as he stepped away.

"As usual" He smirked as she shot him a death glare.

Ruth raised an eyebrow as he sat behind his desk. "Ok go on"

"Juliet, all this could have been arranged to keep the majority of the team on the Grid. She could be in trouble" Ruth didn't like Juliet, but if she was in trouble there was a fair chance that the trouble could end up with Harry in danger. Ruth couldn't risk that.

"All the group are in custody"

"Only the ones we know about, Harry"

"I'll ring Alec" Harry knew Ruth's gut instincts were usually worth listening too. Ruth jumped as somewhere out on the Grid a balloon burst.

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Alec stared at his mobile phone. It had rung twice in the last five minutes but he was in no mood to answer it, not when he had a slightly bonkers brunette asleep in the next room. He smiled as he thought about Juliet Shaw. The woman was still as fiesty as he had remembered. The arguments on the Grid with her and Harry were legendary. And then everything that had happened in Section K with Tessa and Sarah. The court case that had resulted in Sarah taking the fall had been awful. He had handed in his resignation before the vultures had got rid of him. When in doubt he always jumped before he was pushed. Now as he stared at his mobile flashing at him that there were four missed calls all from his former boss he decided that another coffee was in order. Without asking he knew his guest would be in need of a caffine fix too.

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"Harry?" Adam tried to get a word in edgeways as Harry barked instructions down the phone. "Calm down Harry" He paused for a moment as Harry barked yet more instructions.

"Ok. Hang on thats Alec's address" He paused again "Yes I'm in reception, with Zaf, Sarah and Ros"

"A Me!" Amy shouted. Harry couldnt help but chuckle as he heard the little girl. Amy stared at Adam as she corrected him, giving him one of her best death glares. Amy North would not be ignored. Stan shook his head as the toddler remained indignant.

"Alec? Is he in trouble?" Sarah asked as she got to her feet. Adam nodded as Ros turned to her.

"Sarah you dont work here anymore"

"So?" Sarah stepped towards the door "Alec is my friend. He's a good man and if he's in trouble I am going to help. I certainly am not staying here" Her heels clipped on the polished floor as Adam shrugged before following her out of the building. Zaf ran a hand through his black hair as Ros stared after them. For a moment she wondered exactly what they had gotten in to. _Still it was only a few days until Christmas she reasoned, whatever was going on couldn't be a repeat of what Harry and Juliet had gone through so many years ago_. _Could it?_ She dismissedd the thought from her mind as Amy waved goodbye to Adam.

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Harry shook his head as he wondered why Alec was not answering his phone. He caught Ruth's eye as the phone went to answer phone yet again.

"Adam is on his way" She covered his hand as she spoke, letting her fingers gently brush over his. He smiled slightly before nodding once.

"I know"

"Harry" He closed his eyes as he heard her say his name. He was worried sick something had happened to Alec and Juliet. He forced himself to focis on Ruth as she spoke.

"The last time we were all stuck here like this"

"When you were shot" He interupted her as he remembered the case where Sarah Caulfield's sister had sought revenge by trying to murder Ruth. She had nearly succeeded.

"No, when Angela Wells held us all hostage"

"Ah yes" Harry frowned at the memory. The woman had almost killed him and Adam. He didn't remember the time well. "This is different"

"I know, we knew who the enemy was then. But this is an apparently innocent power cut. If that's the case the fire door to the roof should be open" She watched as he realised what he was saying.

"Fire doors, by their very nature are not electric. The are all manual" Harry stood and grabbed his jacket as Ruth nodded.

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"Last Christmas I gave you my heart" Beth sang "But the very next day you gave it away" Lucas and Dimitri pulled faces at each other.

"Tariq, mate" Lucas called. "Any chance you can rig Beth's computer so the thing doesn't play music anymore?" Tariq smirked and shook his head, although he knew it was possible.

"Thanks for nothing" Lucas laughed as Beth glared at him and just sang louder.

"What's wrong with my singing?"

"Put it this way, Simon Cowell isn't mourning the fact the Security Services got to you before the X factor" Dimitri laughed as Beth pretended to be offended. Lucas shook his head, it was nice to see the youngest and newest members of the team weren't jaded yet. He wondered if he had ever been as relaxed as Beth and Dimitri were.

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Sarah sat in the seat next to Adam as he drove towards the run down block of flats that Harry was sending them to. He really wanted to know the history between Sarah and Alec but didn't think he would be able to ask. Sarah watched the cars pass as she debated whether or not she could tell Adam the full story. In the end she decided he had to know the truth.

"Alec is a good man, Adam" He turned the car left at the roundabout waiting for her to continue. "He's the reason I ended up in prison rather than dead. He ended up being dishonourably discharged from the service, because he got involved in trying to stop Tessa." She felt the familiar sense of anger swell in her guts. He had been a good friend.

"I see" Adam tried to concentrate on his driving.

"No Adam you don't see. Tessa was running ghosts. I found out, Alec found out and betweeen us we tried to bring her down. If it wasn't for him I'd have ended up in the canal. She'd have seen to it" Sarah didn't look at Adam as she spoke, the memories too raw.

"When did you last see him?"

"The day I was sentanced. He looked out for Malcolm. Like I said he's a good man"

"Right" Adam stated. He only knew bits and pieces of the Tessa Phillips case. He knew she had scared Zoe witless and he knew Harry hated the woman but that was about all.

"Right"

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Juliet was tired. It had been an exhausting few days. She smiled as she looked around the room she was sitting in. A couple of bedraggled Chrismas cards were pinned to the wall while a lonely piece of tinsel was hung across the television in the corner. She rolled her eyes. It seemed it wasn't only her that didn't really rate Christmas.

"Hi" Alec smiled slightly as he walked in to the room from the kitchen.

"Thanks" She took the mug of steaming coffee.

"It's ok" He watched as she drank, thinking it had been a long time since she had been looked after by anyone other than nurses. He would never admit it to anyone but he was glad Harry had called in a few favours.

"What?" Juliet asked as Alec smirked.

"Nothing"

"What are you looking at?"

"You" Juliet raised one eyebrow. He was thinking about the previous few hours and how he hadn't expected things to develop the way they had.

"Regrets? Because I can go" Juliet didn't really know where she would go but she would.

"No" Alec sipped his coffee "You?"

Suddenly he was more nervous than he thought he would be. He wasn't the type of man to worry about nerves. It just didn't happen.

"None" She smiled over the top of her mug "I'll have to go back to rehab when all this is over. There are a few things I have to work at. A few things I'm not quite ready for"

"Oh you seemed ready enough to me" Alec smirked as Juliet shook her head slightly She couldn't believe she had actually done it. She had actually seduced a man, after everything it was nice to know that she still could. Suddenly the couple were disturbed from their thoughts by a knock at the door. _Piss off Harry. _Alec thought to himself, knowing it would be his old friend judging by the amount of missed calls on his mobile.

"Answer it" Juiet snapped as Alec sighed.

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Adam pulled the car to a halt in the car park of the run down block of flats, intent on making Sarah listen to him. She rolled her eyes once before getting out the car and walking away.

"Sarah!" He jogged after her.

"Adam, it is three days before Christmas. The party is in two days time. I suppose you want this all over and done with before then?" Her heels clipped on the cement as they walked. For a moment she reminded him of Ruth. He nodded.

"Yeah but I would like us all to live. At least until the New Year" He laughed as Sarah muttered something in Welsh.

"O Dduw, gadael i hyn gael ei hynny. Nadolig Llawen gwaedlyd hyn yn troi allan i fod yn" Sarah stared straight ahead as Adam walked towards Alec's front door.

**A/N not very Christmassy but the next chapter makes up for it. We may even get to see the kids again. Please review. More soon x**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Phone calls and corridors**

Lucas hated feeling trapped. He had always hated the feeling that he couldn't leave the room if he wanted. It had only got worse since his time in Russia. He sighed as he drank the last of his coffee. At least this time he was trapped he had his friends and colleagues with him and he knew there was help on the way. He sighed as he watched Tariq and Malcolm try to work out what had happened to the power. The Christmas tree was beginning to cause problems. In itself it looked fairly harmless but the fact that it was still lit up and happily stood in the corner was beginning to make them all uneasy, especially as the rest of the Grid was still running on emergency power supply.

Tariq shook his head as he began moving the presents from under the tree. A small pile had begun to form as the team had bought their Secret Santa's.

"Tariq! Be careful" Beth frowned as she took one small prettily wrapped box from under the tree. She smiled as she saw it was labelled "ZOE Luv ?" in handwriting that clearly belonged to Zaf. Zoe merely frowned. She had been unnaturally quiet since she had realised she was not getting off the Grid for a while. Memories of a lifetime ago obviously returning as she glanced at Malcolm with a sad smile. The older techi nodded before returning to the problem of the mystifying Christmas tree and the safety locks on the Pods that were refusing to accept the manual over ride.

Lucas took a deep breath and walked towards the window thinking. He needed to get out of the Grid. He had been stuck there too long and the claustrophobia was beginning to make him feel nauseated. Once again he wished Ros was there. He knew she was in reception but he desperately wanted to see her. He knew he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help it. Ros was the one person that would calm him down just by raising an eyebrow or saying something sarcastic. He shook his head as he realised his mobile still had reception, walking as far away from the others as he could he hit speed dial 1 and waited.

"Ros?"

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Ruth followed Harry along the corridor outside his office. He was headed towards the fire escape, hoping that Ruth's theory was right. Ruth sighed, the bluish light was giving her a migraine and the slight dizziness made if difficult to keep up with her husband.

"Harry" Ruth rested against the wall.

"What?" Harry turned to her, immediately concerned that she was so far behind. He walked back to her, suddenly dangerously close to her in the narrow corridor. He remembered a time when they had been in the same situation years earlier and he had said something so stupid he still wanted to hit himself for it. He also still regretted making her lie to Angela Wells, especially now he knew about her real situation with her step brother. He rested one hand on the wall next to her head as she held his gaze.

"Ruth?" He watched as she closed her eyes. She was dreadfully pale and the blue light made her skin look even more transparent. "Are you alright?"

Ruth nodded for a moment as she stared at him. He was so close, not uncomfortably so, not these days but something in her eyes had told him he would not be getting an answer. She held his gaze for a moment longer as the dizziness wore off, the migraine ebbing in to the background. In seconds Harry's lips were on hers as his hands slipped under the hem of her blouse. She sighed as they broke apart for air; both momentarily breathless Harry pushed a strand of brown hair away from Ruth's face and tucked it behind her ear. He rested his forehead on hers as she blushed profusely. Ruth pulled back slightly before looking up. It was then she saw the mistletoe above her head. She smiled slightly as she realised Harry had seen the small plant before she had.

"Beth" She shook her head slightly before immediately regretting it.

Harry frowned "Beth? That wasn't the response I was hoping for. Should I be worried you mentioned another woman's name just after I kissed you like that?"

Ruth bit her bottom lip and blushed an even deeper shade of red before pointing at the ceiling.

"Harry" She watched as he chuckled at her embarrassment. "She's put that stuff everywhere" He kissed her forehead before stepping back.

"It seems so, but this time I'm not complaining" He straightened his now less than immaculate jacket before continuing to walk along the corridor to the fire door.

"Impossible man" Ruth muttered as she heard him chuckle.

"Come on Mule" He laughed, knowing she would be looking daggers at his back. She hated the nickname just as much as she hated Ros calling her Cinderella.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros did not like to be kept waiting. She knew that Stan was right, they had to wait for the maintenance people to arrive but that didn't make waiting any easier. Amy seemed perfectly happy sat on the old battered sofa in Stan's office playing with the pink elephant she took everywhere. At the moment she was babbling away in a language only Ros seemed to be able to understand. Zaf was talking with Stan while Henry had gone off to see if the canteen was still up and running, although the thought of anything from the Thames House canteen made Ros feel physically ill. She watched Amy playing as the little girl offered her the elephant.

"For me?" Ros smiled as the toddler nodded and shoved the elephant at her, trunk first.

"Mum!" Amy confirmed as she tried to get down off the sofa. Ros gently pushed her back on as she sat beside her. Both were distracted as her mobile phone rang.

"Lucas?" Ros asked as she answered the phone. Amy was suddenly very interested in who her mother was talking to. "Are you alright? What's going on?"

Xxxxxxxxxx

Lucas smiled as he heard the concern in her voice. They were back on an even keel and for the first time in months he didn't feel like his heart was in knots. He explained how they were all stuck on the Grid and about the mysteriously lit tree that seemed to have the techies worked up.

"Are you ok?" He had his back to the rest of the team and had no idea that Harry and Ruth were no longer on the Grid. He was just happy that Beth's Glee CD had stopped and that he could hear Ros' voice with Amy babbling away in the background.

"Yes" Ros answered. "We are fine. Adam and Sarah have gone to see Alec. Zaf and I are in reception. Apparently the workmen will be here in the next hour, should they decide to put in an appearance" Ros raised an eyebrow as Amy decided she was going to throw her elephant on the floor. Amy saw the look and returned it with one of her own before putting the stuffed toy back on the sofa. "Good girl" Ros smiled slightly as Amy huffed. For a moment she wondered if her daughter was this stubborn now what would she be like as a teenager? Dismissing the thought she returned her attention to Lucas who was laughing.

"Who? Me?"

"Amy, you idiot" Ros smiled slightly.

"Good, because I was getting worried"

"You? I don't like this Lucas. We have two people currently on remand for terrorist charges. One of which abducted Ruth and you. One of which tried to kill Harry. Now you are stuck on the Grid with no way of getting out and we still have one suspect unaccounted for" Ros wedged the mobile between her chin and shoulder as Amy climbed on to her lap and proceeded to snuggle down for a cuddle.

"I know, the thought had occurred to me" Lucas knew it had also occurred to Harry and Ruth.

"I am going to leave Amy with Stan. I'll be up in a minute" Ros decided as Amy closed her eyes. She knew her daughter would be asleep in seconds.

"No" Lucas stated firmly. Ros merely raised her eyebrows "The lifts are down. Stan told Dimitri earlier. We are five stories up and you are about to drop at any moment"

"Lucas, I have a few weeks left"

"Amy was three weeks early. Please Ros, stay with Amy. Co ordinate things from there if you must but please stay where you are" He knew in all likelihood she would pull rank and ignore him.

"Lucas, I am pregnant not incapacitated"

"I know" He smirked. His photographic memory in overdrive as Ros sighed. "But in your cond…."

"You finish that sentence with in your condition it won't just be a turkey getting stuffed this weekend" Ros stated as Amy finally drifted off to sleep. Lucas laughed quietly as Ros sighed. Eventually she agreed Zaf would be the one to return to the Grid to see what was happening. Ros watched him run towards the staircase hoping she hadn't just sent him head first in to trouble.

Zaf took the stairs two at a time as he heard Ros talk in his ear piece.

"Look Ros, no faraday cage, comms are on" He hoped it was just a technical glitch, but this was Section D and noting was straight forward with them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam glanced at Sarah as they waited for Alec to answer the door. He had knocked twice and was beginning to wonder if he had the right flat. For a moment he wondered if Juliet had killed Alec or vice versa. Sarah swore in welsh as she wished Alec would hurry up. On the third knock Adam dug in his jean pocket for his lock pick as Alec answered the door.

"No carol singers' thanks" He didn't even bother to look up until Sarah put a hand on the glass pane of the door, stopping him from closing it. He looked up as Sarah smiled.

"Alec, cariad" She smiled broadly as his jaw dropped.

"Sarah Hughes! Bloody hell!" He hugged her for a moment before releasing her and staring at Adam as if he was something the cat dragged in. "Adam Carter?" He watched as Adam nodded. "Yeah thought so, you look like a spook"

"What?"

"You one of Harry's team?"

"Yeah"

"You look like a spook"

"I do not" Adam prided himself on fitting in anywhere. It was what made him good at his job.

"Boys" Sarah warned.

"Don't worry Adam, takes one to know one" He stepped back allowing them both to enter the flat, only for them to be confronted by Juliet, who was clearly wearing one of Alec's check shirts over her jeans. Adam didn't think he had ever seen the woman dressed in anything other than a business suit.

"Juliet" He couldn't help sound curt.

"Adam"

"Why are you both here?" Alec wasn't sure what the atmosphere between Adam and Juliet was about but the younger man clearly didn't count Juliet Shaw as a member of his fan club.

"Harry asked us to check things were ok, when you didn't answer the phone. As usual" Sarah shook her head. Some things didn't change.

"What happened?" Juliet was straight back in work mode. She could sense something had happened but didn't know what.

"The Grid may have been compromised. We don't really know. We have both the Fisher brothers in custody" Adam explained.

"Thank God" Juliet almost stammered the words as Adam tried not to look shocked. He had never seen her less than totally in control. Then again he mused I haven't seen her after she sustained brain damage before. Physically she looked the same as he remembered but there was something in the eyes that was different, softer than before.

"Yeah but there is still one man we haven't located" Adam sighed.

"Ricky Mitchell" Juliet watched as Adam nodded. She swore profusely.

"Yeah"

"Who's Ricky Mitchell when he's at home?" Alec folded his arms as he leant back against the sofa. Sarah raised an eyebrow. She wanted to know the same thing.

"The bomb maker. An expert in electronics"

"Oh shit" Alec answered as Juliet nodded.

"Precisely"

**A/N Ok I promise chapter 20 will be fluffy. Will the tables turn and will Juliet end up having to rescue her old team? Will she come face to face with Ros after Harry tried to keep them apart? Isn't it time for a Christmas miracle? Please let me know what you think, even if this is a load of rubbish xx**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer not mine**

Christmas with a Bang?

Harry walked away from Ruth smiling slightly at the memory of a very flushed and dishevelled Ruth leaning against the corridor wall. He knew she was following him. The corridor was bathed in a blue light that reminded him of the last time he had been stuck on the Grid with no chance of escape. He tried his best to push the memory to the back of his mind as Ruth caught up with him.

"The fire door should be open" Ruth folded her arms across her chest as they reached the innocuous looking door at the end of the corridor. They both knew it lead to the roof. Harry paused for a moment as he reached out a hand to open the only escape route he could think of, something about the door was wrong. He had used the door more times than he could count but something felt wrong. Ruth rested a hand on his arm as he turned to her.

"Ruth, it's wired"

"What?" Ruth went to step past him as he caught a hand on her wrist to stop her.

"It is a bomb" Harry hissed as he stared at the door. Innocuous red and yellow wired seemed to be snaking their way from the edge of the door. Harry felt the familiar dread in the pit of his stomach. _There was a bomb in Thames House. There was a bomb in Thames House and his team were on the Grid. _The first emotion Harry felt was pure anger that someone had done this, then the fear that not only was the team on the Grid but Ruth was there with him.

"Can we disable it?" Ruth glared at the small device that sat on the gap in the door, where the release mechanism should be. Harry sighed. He had no idea. Bombs had never been his area of expertise. It wasn't just Dimitri that had to be talked through his first bomb disposal.

"Go back to the Grid. Tell Malcolm" Harry daren't look at her.

"I can't leave you with it"

"You have to Ruth. You have to leave and get help" Ruth stared at him in disbelief. _He actually expects me to leave him? He really expects me to go? _

"Harry" He closed his eyes as he heard the warning in her voice. "I'll call Malcolm to come." She pulled out her phone.

"NO" Harry snapped as she raised her eyebrows. It had always been rare for Harry to snap at her but even more so in recent months. She waited as he finally turned to look at her. "I have no idea if you using your mobile phone will set it off. It might. I need an expert with me. Please Ruth, just get him" Ruth nodded before turning on her heel and running back towards the Grid. She daren't look back. If the bomb went off it was the last time she would see Harry. He watched her go for a moment, knowing it could be the last time he would see her.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Beth had grown bored of trying to sing along to the music and was watching Tariq and Malcolm try to decipher the mystery of the Christmas tree. She shook her head as Dimitri handed her a can of pop he had retrieved from the fridge.

"So, these are your bog standard Christmas tree lights?" Dimitri asked as Beth shot him a look.

"No they are M&S! I bought them last pay day" She folded her arms as he drunk the Pepsi he had stolen from Tariq. Malcolm nodded his head.

"Mr Levandis, if you mean are these lights the usual electrical powered lights that are in millions of homes, including mine throughout the UK then yes these are bog standard lights" He sighed.

"Or at least they were until someone customised them" Tariq sat back on the floor as Lucas joined them. He felt slightly better after talking to Ros.

"What is it?"

"Well, I haven't seen anything like this for a long time" Malcolm was worried.

"What do you mean; you haven't seen anything like this? They're just Christmas tree lights" Beth was beginning to panic a little. She knew Harry would go mad if he thought she had brought something on the Grid that had put them all in danger. It was then that Ruth ran through the door.

"Malcolm" She was slightly out of breath as she called her friend. "Bomb, there's a bomb. Harry. Fire escape. Roof" She clutched at her chest as Malcolm got to his feet.

"Slow down" Lucas walked towards her.

"Bomb" Ruth tried again. She knew she had a tendency to babble when she was stressed. Looking up she saw Zaf appear at the locked Pod. He banged on the toughened glass to attract their attention.

"Zaf!" Zoe was on her feet in seconds as the field officer grinned.

"There is a bomb. On the fire escape" Lucas nodded as Malcolm glanced at the door. He was the explosives expert.

"Yes I rather thought there would be. It seems someone has rigged Miss Bailey's Christmas tree to act as a timer" He walked past Ruth and headed off along the corridor in search of Harry. Lucas pointed to Zaf and then his phone as Zaf nodded and waited for the call.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam stared at Alec as Sarah began to explain a little of what had happened on the Grid. Juliet sat down rather shakily. _This couldn't be happening. Not again. Not now. _She glared at the cluttered coffee table as Adam picked up the story.

"God" Juliet screwed her eyes closed. She was remembering a time when she had been stood in the public gallery of the court watching Fisher receive his sentence. She felt sick then and she felt sick now.

"Juliet?" Alec sat next to her, immediately concerned that she was unwell again. He rested a hand on her arm as Sarah and Adam exchanged glances.

"He said. In court he said that he would make sure we paid. That Connie, Harry and I would be killed. That Henry would rot in Hell" She opened her eyes to see Alec staring at her. Sarah swore again in welsh.

"We have to get back to the Grid" Adam decided. Sarah nodded.

"You stay with Juliet" Adam smiled slightly as Sarah raised her eyebrows.

"If you think I am staying here when they are all trapped on the Grid and Fisher's little playmate is doing his dirty work Mr Carter you are mistaken" Juliet tried to pull herself to her feet.

"Juliet"

"Look Adam. I can help"

"Ros is there"

"So?"

"You tried to kill her twice" Adam reminded her. Alec narrowed his eyes.

"Look, do you want Harry and the others to die? Because if you do you are wasting enough time for that to be a distinct possibility" Juliet glared. Adam sighed.

"If you and Ros are in the same room"

"I don't even remember trying to hurt her. I don't even remember why I wanted to. Adam, I know I shot myself. I know I wanted to die but it is like I actually died. So many memories have been obliterated. I have literally had to start again" Juliet sighed.

"Just stay out of trouble" Sarah warned as she led them from the flat. Alec began to wonder exactly what he had agreed to when he told Harry Pearce he owed him a favour.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf's eyes widened as he listened to Lucas explain what had happened.

"I'll clear the building" Zaf stepped back. "Tell Zoe I'll talk to Carrie; get her to keep Emma for a while longer"

"Thanks, Zaf"

"I'll try to get Ros to get out of here too. Keep working on how to get out of there. Bloody hell" Zaf ran a hand over his face as he caught sight of Ruth and Zoe working away. It was clear both women were terrified. Beth and Tariq were underneath the tree trying to disable the timer. Dimitri had run off after Malcolm and Harry.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do not touch the red wire" Malcolm instructed.

"Wasn't planning on it" Harry answered through gritted teeth.

"Right" Dimitri approached them "Tariq says the lights are a timer, running off an external source. We can't stop it unless he can get through to the origin of the signal and cut it off there"

"Marvellous" Harry seethed

"Not shooting the messenger?" Dimitri knew he was pushing his luck but he didn't care. Malcolm batted Harry's hand away as he concentrated on the device in front of him.

"Dimitri are you wearing a watch?"

"Yeah"

"Digital or analogue?"

"Analogue. Look" He held out his left wrist.

"Good, take it off. We have to trick the circuit in to thinking we haven't touched it" Harry and Dimitri exchanged glances as Dimitri removed his watch.

"My dad bought me that" He sighed as he passed the small watch to his colleague.

"Very nice" Harry smiled at the younger man

"Yeah, the Christmas before he died"

"Ah" Malcolm suddenly felt guilty as he worked on the circuit. "Then I'm sure you'd like to know your father saved your life. Or at least his watch did"

Dimitri smiled. "Nice one Dad"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf had managed to get Stan to help him evacuate the whole of Thames House. The DG and Section K had been the easiest to rescue. The maintenance men had been replaced by the Police Bomb Disposal Unit. Now the only people in Thames House were the members of Section D that had been on the Grid. Ros felt sick as she handed Amy to Stan.

"I'll be five minutes" She walked across to Zaf as Adam and the others arrived. Juliet stepped out the car as the windows on the fifth floor of Thames House blew outwards. The street outside descended into silence as the glass hit the street below. Suddenly the fact that Juliet was three foot away from her meant nothing as Ros stared at the sky with tears in her eyes.

"NO!" Sarah screamed as Adam hugged her to him. He was in shock himself.

"I" Zaf was at a loss for words. Zoe was dead. They were all dead. Fisher's little bomb maker had beaten them. He rubbed a hand over his eyes as Stan walked up to them and rested a hand on Ros' shoulder.

"She needs her mother" He handed Amy back to her as Ros clung to her daughter as if her life depended on it. Zaf and Adam stared at each other for a second as Alec inclined his head. The three men crossed the road and ran in to the building.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh that was a little bit bigger than I expected" Tariq shook his head as he heard Beth swear fluently. The window was missing and a small fire had started in the waste paper bin. Harry and the others returned to the Grid as the explosion had gone off. Harry immediately felt sick as he returned to the smoky Grid.

"Ruth! Lucas!" He called as Dimitri coughed next to him.

"Bloody hell it worked" Beth slid the largest pod open as Tariq raised his eyebrow. Zoe laughed as she looked around the smoky and almost destroyed Grid. It was then she noticed the three men running towards them.

"What are Alec and those two doing here?" Ruth coughed as Harry reached her and pulled her in to his arms. She nodded as he whispered in her ear. She had never been so glad to see him in her life.

"Bloody hell" Alec pushed open the pod doors "How come none of you are goners?"

"Blew the timer up. Now Fisher and the others are getting stupid. They think we are dead and injured they aren't going to be expecting us to arrest them" Tariq explained as he coughed.

Harry shook his head. "Cometh the hour cometh the geeks"

Malcolm just raised his eyebrows as Ruth slapped him playfully on the arm. The whole place looked as if a bomb had literally gone off around them. Harry wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she coughed.

"Lets go" Dimitri decided as he pushed Beth in front of him towards the Pods.

"Yeah and just for that Harry will buy the first round" Zaf winked as Harry glared slightly.

"Yes" Ruth smiled as she squeezed his hand. Let's get out of here. Harry nodded. December 21st had certainly been memorable. He just wanted to go home, see the kids and fall asleep with Ruth in his arms. He couldn't help but smile at Lucas' enthusiasm as he got off the Grid. It seemed the Christmas party would not be on the Grid after all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**A/N ok so not so fluffy but we have the Ros/Lucas reunion as well as Sarah and Malcolm and Zaf and Zoe. The bomb maker may also get a run in with our heros too. Please let me know what you think. Oh and if noone has guessed yet I am making this up as I go along! So thanks to Nonsenseandmischief for giving me the idea of the killer Christmas lights.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Time for A Miracle?**

Ros clung to Amy as the little girl began to cry. She kissed her daughter's hair as she tried to calm her down. The explosion and the frightened adults had clearly upset the toddler. Ros didn't really know what to say. She hugged her daughter tighter to her as the snow began to fall.

"Shh" She soothed as her own voice broke. Her team was dead. Lucas was dead. She looked up at the broken window on the fifth floor. A single strand of tinsel fluttered in the breeze as snow began to fall on the central London street. "Oh Beth" She thought of the bubbly blonde that she spent half her time in work wanting to strangle. But she had to admit the girl had been beginning to develop in to a good officer. She glared straight ahead as her heart started to freeze over. It was then she spotted movement in the foyer.

"Adam?" She felt Amy quieten in her arms as Sarah stepped towards her.

"The boys went in" Sarah brushed a lock of dark hair behind Amy's ear. Amy sobbed as Sarah touched her hair. It seemed as if the little girl was beginning to quiet in Ros' arms. Ros stared straight ahead as Amy gave Sarah a watery smile.

"Daddy"

Ros shook her head as Amy pointed towards Thames House. Ros felt her heart constrict, she remembered everything about the last big explosion they had been in. She remembered dragging Andrew in to the alcove and then waking up in ITU almost a fortnight later with Lucas holding her hand and Harry pacing up and down looking increasingly worried. She knew their luck had rung out. They wouldn't be so lucky a second time.

"No Amy" Ros wanted to run in to the building with Adam and the others. Every sense in her body told her she should be in the building looking for her friends. Looking for evidence. She glanced across at Sarah as she saw the red head wipe her eyes. Juliet was stood a little way from them. She avoided everyone's gaze as she watched the doors to Thames House. Another memory was beginning to resurface but she couldn't be sure. There was something about arguing with Adam and a dark haired girl. She wasn't sure but it was there.

Xxxxxxxx

Lucas coughed slightly as he watched Dimitri and Beth walk in front of him. It seemed Dimitri was slightly more shaken by the fact Beth had been in the firing line when they had blown the timer than she was. She clutched her hand as they walked down the steps of Thames House. She had cut her hand on shards of glass during the explosion but was determined not to let the others know how nasty the cut was. Dimitri ushered her out of reception towards a waiting ambulance. Lucas sighed as he watched them walk away. It seemed Ruth was already having a nebuliser. She'd been coughing quite badly since the windows got out and it seemed she had breathed in a fair amount of smoke. Lucas looked around them to see Harry talking with the head of the Bomb Disposal unit. Zoe and Zaf were talking quietly as they held hands. He smiled. Even Malcolm and Sarah were hugging. Or rather Sarah had thrown her arms around Malcolm's neck. He searched the crowd for the two people he desperately wanted to see.

"DADDY!" Amy shouted again as Ros turned her back towards Thames House. She was talking to Stan and someone from Section E. It looked like she was completely back in work mode, but not aware that he was safe and about four foot behind her.

"Amy, that's enough" Ros sighed.

"Daddy! Roof!" Amy could see a lot of adults that she knew and was getting a little annoyed that her mum wasn't taking any notice. She began wriggling in Ros' arms. She had spotted her godmother as well as her father and was getting restless. It was time her mum put her down. Lucas closed the gap between them. Ros said her goodbyes to her counterpart from section E as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Ros" He spoke quietly. "Are you alright?"

"No I am not bloody alright" Ros turned to face him as Amy clapped her hands. She had known she was right. Amy shot her mother an _I told you so _look as Lucas took her from Ros' arms. "You blew up the Grid!"

"Not all of it" Lucas shrugged as Amy giggled.

"You blew the window out"

"Yeah well in fairness that was Beth and Tariq" Lucas wanted to pull his wife in to his arms but he knew there was no way she would let him. Not with the rest of the world watching.

"Don't tell me" Ros deadpanned "They only meant to blow the bloody doors off"

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle as Amy clapped her hands. It was then he noticed Juliet talking quietly to Alec as she leant heavily on a pair of crutches. He hadn't seen her since she had tried to kill Ros, the second time.

"You ok?" Lucas asked again as Ros raised an eyebrow. Harry was walking towards them as Ruth signed a piece of paper and left the paramedic.

"What is she doing here?" Ros nodded towards the woman on crutches.

"Ros" Juliet turned to her as Alec rested a hand on her arm.

"What. Is. She. Doing. Here?" Ros punctuated every word. Juliet sighed. This was going to be difficult.

"I came to help"

"Help? The last time I saw you was when you wanted to help me in to an early grave" Ros glared as Juliet nodded.

"So I'm told, but I really have no memory of how or why" Juliet stared at her. Ros looked her directly in the eye. It seemed something had softened in the other woman. Ros just couldn't buy it.

"Yeah, but the problem is I remember every second of it" Ros was determined not to turn away as Lucas rested a hand on her arm.

"Ros, there is nothing more we can do here. The bomb squad have sealed the place off, everyone is out. Tariq has gone to hospital. Lets go home" Lucas ran a finger along her hand. She nodded.

"Tariq?"

"Asthma is playing up. The smoke affected it. Harry ordered him to get checked over. Adam has gone with him" Lucas explained.

"Ok, I should be getting Amy home anyway." She turned and walked away as Alec ushered a slightly shell shocked Juliet in to the car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry sat in the living room wondering exactly how his whole team had got out alive. He had spoken to Adam a little earlier. Tariq was fine, a chest x-ray and a couple of nebulisers had sorted his asthma out. He sighed as he leant forward and picked up the scotch he had been nursing for the last few minutes. It was then that he realised Graham was in the room.

"Dad"

"Yes son" He turned slightly to face the younger man. Graham sat on the sofa next to him.

"Ruth is pretty upset that you walked back in to the building" He watched as his father nodded. "She thinks you have a death wish"

"I don't. I just had to make sure some things were secure" Harry explained.

"The men that want to kill you and Juliet. Still out there then?" Graham rested his elbows on his knees and turned to his father. Harry nodded.

"Not all of them" Harry smiled "Two are in prison, on remand. The other, well it wont be long until we pick him up"

"Dad"

"Don't worry about me son. Where's Charlie and the girls?" Harry suddenly realised that none of the others were in the house.

"Taken Scarlet for her walk" Graham explained "I think Catherine thought it would settle Ruth down. She was scared, you know? Ruth I mean. You keep walking in to these things where it looks like you are going to top yourself. It kills her Dad. Every time you do it, kills a bit of me and Catherine too" Graham didn't look at Harry as he spoke. Harry smiled. His son was a grown man, and had more maturity than he had. There was no way he would have spoken about emotions and relationships like that at Graham's age. He rested a hand on his son's shoulder. Despite their differences Harry had to admit Graham and Catherine had grown up in to fine adults.

"I know. I just had to get some stuff off the Grid. Before that Malcolm was the only one I could think of that would know what to do. Seems I ended up sending her back in to danger. That timer could have blown the whole Grid sky high" He shook his head, amazed at his own stupidity. Graham sighed.

"Look Dad" He stared at his father. "I said I'd take Catherine out tonight, leave you and Ruth to baby-sit. I know Ruth said it was ok. We'll be gone for a couple of hours, or as long as I can keep Cath out. Talk to her" Graham stood and left his father to finish his drink.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Emma ran straight to Zoe as Carrie opened the door. Zoe picked her up and hugged her before setting her back down on her feet.

"You've been good I hope?" Zoe watched as Emma nodded.

"Course I have"

Carrie nodded behind her as Wes appeared in the doorway and smiled. Adam had already called to say everything was ok at the hospital and he was going to take Tariq home before he came round. Emma began telling Zoe all about her exiting day as Zaf appeared.

"You had a good day?" She nodded as Carrie handed Zoe her coat

"Yes Zaf" Emma laughed

"Cant really say ours went with a bang either" He watched as Zoe rolled her eyes. Carrie looked from one spook to the other and decided it was probably best not to ask.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm sat on his sofa watching BBC24 give their side of the story. Apparently there had been a gas leak in the centre of London. Sky News and ITN had pretty much said the same thing. He shook his head as Sarah sat next to him on the sofa.

"They have to say something" She nodded towards the TV

"I know" He pulled her to him "I know"

"I love you" Sarah watched as he smiled.

"Where did that come from?" Malcolm returned her smile

"Just thought I'd say" She rested her head on his shoulder as he kissed her hair.

"Good job the feeling is mutual isn't it?" She laughed quietly as he tightened his hold on her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth walked back in the house, carrying Charlie as Catherine struggled to get the pram up the steps. The baby was half asleep in Ruth's arms as Catherine swore at the pram. The snow was getting thicker and thicker as Graham appeared in the doorway and laughed. It was then Ruth spotted the large carrier bag against the door. She held Charlie in one arm as she pulled the bag open to reveal presents. All of which had been under the tree at the Grid. Ruth smiled._ The idiot? This is what he went back for? Our Secret Santa's. Ruth smiled as she turned to meet her husband's gaze._

_"Right, you pair. Out or you'll miss the film" Harry barked._

_"Are you sure?" Catherine looked at Charlie who was now asleep in Ruth's arms._

_"Yes, how many times has Graham offered to pay for a night out. Go" Ruth laughed. "We'll be fine"_

_"You're sure?" Catherine glanced at her son._

_"Catherine" Harry laughed as Graham pulled on her arm. "It's our night out tomorrow, you can return the favour and baby-sit your brother" He laughed as Graham pulled a face. Ruth watched as they left before stepping towards Harry._

_"You saved the Secret Santa things" She smiled_

_"Well, Beth put so much work in to it that I thought" He sighed_

_"You __sentimental fool" Ruth kissed him as Charlie began to stir. She placed him in his car seat as he closed his eyes again._

"Sorry"

"Don't scare me like that again" Ruth tried to sound annoyed but found it difficult as Harry pulled her in to his arms and kissed her. Harry buried his head in her shoulder as she hugged him back. "Hey"

"God Ruth" he sighed as she pulled back and rested her forehead against his. "I'm sorry" Ruth sighed as he spoke, she knew he wasn't apologising for sending her back in to the Grid, it was for everything since the case had come back to them. They were startled from their thoughts by the phone ringing. Harry rolled his eyes as he stepped away from Ruth and answered the phone.

"Yes?"

"Harry its me" Adam answered unnecessarily.

"What is it?" Harry was immediately back in work mode.

"Ricky Mitchell. Our not so friendly bomb maker? We got him. The plods picked him up for speeding ten minutes ago. Lucas and I are going to question him now"

"Thank you. Keep me informed" Harry ended the call as a wave of relief washed over him. "Thank God" Harry smiled as he replaced the phone. Ruth wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed between his shoulder blades.

"Seems Beth was right. Christmas is the time for miracles"

**A/N only two chapters left and maybe an epilogue. Please let me know what you think. Next chapter will include at least some of Beth's longed for party. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Its My Party**

Beth stared at the barely decorated room. Dimitri and Tariq were sat in the corner laughing as they tried and failed to blow up the dozen balloons Beth had trusted them to organise. She smirked as they continued giggling like a pair of teenagers. She sighed, ignoring them for a moment as she looked around the room debating where to put the Christmas banner. Terry, the landlord of the George had given her free reign to do as she wanted with the room and she was going to make the most of it.

"And to think they trust national security to those children" Stan laughed as Beth jumped about three foot in the air. Dimitri and Tariq carried on laughing like teenagers as Beth turned to Stan.

"You scared me" she laughed as Stan shook his head.

"Old man like me? Ah Flower, you flatter me" He shook his head as he took the banner from her "Now, where does this monstrosity go?"

Xxxxxxxxx

Ros stared at her reflection in the mirror. She really didn't want to go to the party but she was Section Chief. She knew she had to make the effort. For some reason Lucas had been looking forward to it, she had no idea why. She sighed as she put her earrings in and assessed her appearance in the mirror. It had only been a few hours since the Grid had literally imploded. She had believed Lucas had died. She had been frozen to the spot at the time; unable to comprehend the apparent horror in front of her, and here she was less than 24 hours later preparing to go to a party. She smiled as she thought of Amy dressed in her little party dress in the living room. She was going to stay with Catherine and Charlie while Ros would be at the party. She was so exhausted lately that she knew there was no way she was going to be the last to leave. Those days had long gone. She brushed her hair away from her face, something just didn't look right. Everything felt wrong and she felt fat and miserable, which wasn't something she was used to. She was always slight, even with Amy she had been deceptively small. Sighing she closed her eyes as Lucas stood behind her.

"You ok?" He wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Yes"

"You look amazing" Lucas kissed her neck as she raised an eyebrow.

"Considering what you do for a living you are a terrible liar these days"

"Ros, you are stunning" Lucas kissed her neck again as she closed her eyes.

"I am fat"

"You are pregnant"

"And fat" Ros answered

Shaking his head Lucas turned her to face him. "Ros" He laughed lightly "You are not fat, just accept the fact that to me you will never be less than stunning" Ros rolled her eyes.

"Right" She stepped back from his arms "Let's go". He watched her walk away as she reached the doorway. "Just for the record Lucas, you look very nice too" She ran her eyes over his tall frame as Lucas smiled lopsidedly.

"Nice? Is that all I get?"

"I said very" Ros laughed as he picked up Amy "We are going to be late!" Amy giggled as Lucas tickled her.

"Oh siding with Mum eh? That's charming" Amy nodded before she shrieked. "Wonder if Catherine Pearce knows what she has let herself in for looking after you"

"Lucas, the girl worked in Rwanda, a 14 month old toddler should be nothing" Ros raised her eyebrows as Amy gave her father her best death glare. Lucas shook his head, he had a feeling there was nothing he could say to win the argument.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Zoe laughed as she heard Emma and Zaf singing and dancing around her living room. She was supposed to be looking for her earrings but couldn't help but laugh at the pair. Emma was trying to get Zaf to recreate a dance she had seen on Strictly Come Dancing which seemed to involve twirling around until they were both dizzy. She smiled as she watched them from the living room doorway.

"Are you going to a party?" Emma asked as Zaf nodded.

"I'm going to stay with my Grandma and Granddad until tomorrow" She twirled as she spoke.

"Yep I know Emms" She smiled as she fell on to her bottom.

"Dizzy now" She laughed as Zaf took the chance to sit down for a second.

"Mum wont be long" He smiled as Emma climbed up on the sofa next to him "Zaf" She had suddenly grown very serious. "When are you and Mum going to get married because I really think you should?"

Suddenly a chocking sound caused them both to look around. Zoe was in the doorway trying not to show she had been eavesdropping. Emma frowned as Zaf took the chance to avoid the question and began fussing over Zoe and why she was coughing.

"He loves you Mum" Emma bounced out of the room to find her coat.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth walked along the snowy streets as Scarlet pulled on her lead. She was in no rush to get back to get ready for the party. She was contemplating how her life had changed in the last couple of years. She smiled at Scarlet who was trotting along beside her. Things had changed so much, mostly for the better. Catherine seemed settled and was taking to motherhood well. Graham was clean and sober, attending his AA meetings religiously, he even seemed to be able to get along with Harry, for which Ruth was eternally grateful. It was difficult to see them at loggerheads when they were both so similarShe was pleased they had decided to stay with her and Harry until Christmas was over. Sighing she thought of Nico and hoped he was having a good Christmas. Not for the first time she considered contacting Ava but knew it would open old wounds for everyone concerned. Nico knew where she was if he needed her. . She glared up the street at the snow covered cars and wondered how long she would have to stay at the party.

Harry would be at Whitehall for another hour so she had plenty of time and party's weren't really her forte. Even when they involved her best friends and people who had become her surrogate family over the years. The last hour had been spent trying and failing to come up with an excuse not to go to the George. Even the name of the pub was making her nervous. She sighed, knowing she was being ridiculous she called Scarlet who had taken an unhealthy interest in a passing car and began to walk back to the house. There would be no getting out of the party.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry shook hands with the Chief Fire Officer and the head of the Bomb Squad as they said their goodbyes. He couldn't wait to get back on the Grid. Three more days and the place would be structurally sound. The fire door had already been replaced. Things were beginning to come together; he smiled as he walked away from Whitehall. Even Towers had been in a good mood. That in itself could be classed as a Christmas miracle. He smiled at the young receptionist as he passed her. All he had to do now was pick up the presents he had hidden in his car for the Grid's Secret Santa's and collect Ruth. He could just picture her trying and failing to think of a valid reason not to go to the party. He smiled as he thought of her and pulled his mobile out of his coat pocket.

"Ruth"

"Hi, er Harry" She stammered slightly as she argued with a pair of tights she was trying to get on "Bugger!"

"Are you alright?" Harry was immediately alarmed.

"What? Er yes. Laddered my tights" She rolled her eyes as she heard him laugh. "Harry what do you want?"

"There are a number of ways I could answer that Ruth, but with the kids at home until after Christmas and the Grid Christmas Party to contend with I don't think I should" He knew he was making her blush even though he couldn't see her.

"Impossible man" She muttered as he chuckled "Where are you?"

"On the way to collect you. Should be there in ten minutes" Ruth swore as Harry laughed again.

"What?"

"Ten minutes Harry! It takes longer to get ready than ten minutes. Well not for you maybe" Ruth glared at her messy brown hair in the mirror.

"Hurry up Scruff I'm on my way" He hung up the phone as Ruth began to swear at him again. Shaking his head he opened the drivers side of the door and wondered if maybe this once he should leave the car at home and order a taxi. He knew it could be a busy night.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam and Carrie had been the first to actually get to the party, having dropped Wes off at Molly's house. Adam's mum was due to arrive from Blackpool the next morning and the last thing Adam needed was to have a hangover when Eleanor Carter arrived. He may have been in his mid thirties but his mother was still the most formidable woman he had ever met, even Ros could be described as a pussy cat in relation to Eleanor Carter when she was in full swing.

"Beth looks a little stressed" Carrie sighed as Adam handed her a white wine.

"Beth Bailey is always a little stressed" He laughed as Carrie looked up. Adam frowned before following her gaze. A small sprig of Mistletoe hung over the bar. Carrie smiled as her dark fringe flopped in her eyes. Adam smiled before kissing her lightly on the lips."I think tonight is going to be interesting" He released her as she raised an eyebrow. Stan could be seen in the corner helping Dimitri with the mobile disco.

"Explain" Carrie felt like she was talking to one of the kids as Adam smiled.

"Well not only did the snow and the useless public transport system and death trap snowy roads mean you are with me over Christmas but Beth appears to have rigged the whole hall with Mistletoe" He smiled as Carrie frowned. Tariq and Malcolm crossed over to the bar as Sarah was left talking to Beth.

"Adam mate" Tariq interrupted "The mistletoe, well that was me. I mean look at those two" He nodded towards Dimitri who was clearly trying to turn himself in to the MI 5 version of FatBoySlim as Beth walked over to him.

"Yeah"

"Well I am on the Grid with them most of the time and it winds me up. Just wish they'd snog each other's brains out and get it out of their system" Tariq watched as Carrie laughed. "I may be able to get some work done then"

"So what's this Operation Mistletoe?" Carrie interjected as Adam laughed.

"Quite" Malcolm replied "They are obviously crazy about each other but don't want to admit it. Do you not think that over the years we have had to put up with that from others for far too long? I mean I for one couldn't stand a repeat performance" Malcolm pretended to be serious as Sarah caught his eye and smiled. Adam just nodded; it was going to be a very interesting party.

**a/n I was hoping to have this finished by Christmas Day. If not it'll be finished in the early part of the week after. Thing is I have another idea for a fic. I have to finish this one first. Please let me know what you think. Fluffy enough this time? Nadolig Llawen Pawb!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Personally I think this is the weakest chapter I have written but it leads on to the ending which I really like. Please review. Nadolig Llawen.**

**Ready to Go?**

Harry shook his head as he waited for Ruth to finish getting ready. He knew she would take longer than the ten minutes he had teased her about. He laughed as a rather disgruntled looking Fidget made his way down the stairs. The little moggie looked decidedly put out.

"Ah Fidge, what did I tell you about going upstairs? You daft moggie" He stroked the cat behind the ears as Fidget purred. He knew Ruth would laugh if she had seen the Head of MI5's Counter Terrorism Section fussing over a humble moggie. But in truth he had become quite fond of the cats in the years he had been looking after them. They had seemed like his only link to Ruth. The small cat looked up at him and purred, but still seemed reluctant to go anywhere near Ruth. He completely understood where the cat was coming from. He knew she hated social gatherings like this, even when she was with family and friends she got nervous.

"Enough is enough eh Fidget?" He looked at the cat who had decided to wander off in to the living room as Harry took the stairs two at a time. He had to hurry her along, Ros and Lucas would be arriving to drop Amy off and getting a taxi with them. It was time to hurry Ruth along.

"Ruth?" Harry took the steps two at a time. He knew she was already in a bad mood when he had called earlier.

"Ruth?" He pushed their bedroom door open, beginning to worry when she didn't answer him.

"Oh" She fiddled with the necklace as she tried and failed to fasten the small chain he had bought her for her birthday. He stood behind her as fastened the clasp before resting his hands on her waist. He couldn't help but kiss her neck as she watched him in the dressing table mirror.

"Harry"

"Couldn't help myself, Scruff" He smiled as she rolled her eyes.

"Do I look ok?" She waited as Harry seemed to consider her question. She seemed a little shy, although Harry had no idea why.

"No Ruth" he purred in her ear, suddenly he was deadly serious. Ruth frowned as she held his gaze in the mirror. Scarlet could be heard barking in the background as Muggles ran up the stairs. Ruth sighed, she knew she had left getting ready until the last possible moment but she had thought that at least the dark red dress she had chosen was presentable.

"I'll have to change" Ruth tried to hide the disappointment in her voice as Harry shook his head before pulling her against him and resuming his assault on her neck.

"No"

"Harry?"

"You don't just look ok. You look absolutely gorgeous. If I had my way we'd never get out of the front door" His Yorkshire accent more pronounced as he whispered in her ear. Ruth automatically blushed. At that moment she thought she had a perfectly good reason to stay away from the party. The way Harry looked at her had her rooted to the spot.

"They'll be expecting us" Ruth leant her head back as Harry tightened his hold on her. He nodded.

"Yeah, they will" He sighed as Ruth nodded "C'mon then Scruff"

"Stop calling me that" Ruth laughed as she stepped away from him

"Oh so you prefer Mule?"

"Harry!" She couldn't help but laugh as she followed Harry down the stairs.

Xxxxxxxxx

Dimitri sat at the mobile disco he had borrowed from a friend who owed him a few favours. Stan seemed to have gate crashed the party just after he had arrived. No one seemed to mind. He stood watching Dimitri as the younger man tried and failed to work out how to use the machine in front of him.

"Who did you say this belonged to?" Stan smiled as he sipped his pint.

"Greg, a mate from the old days. He works with Sienna now at the nightclub. She sorted it" He smiled and raised his hands laughing as the various lights began flashing on and off. Beth walked across the room to them.

"Dim, you do know how to work these things?" She leant on the chair next to him. Dimitri sighed, faking annoyance as he leant nearer to her.

"Beth Bailey, have I ever let you down?" Beth stared at him for a moment too long. He met her eyes and smiled. Biting her lip she saw Stan walk towards Harry and Ruth who had just arrived with Lucas and Ros.

"No" Beth shook her head slightly as her blonde hair fell in to her face. "Not yet"

"Never gonna happen" He couldn't drag his eyes away from her.

"Don't say that. Everyone does in the end. Everyone leaves or messes with your head" She sighed. Dimitri shook his head as she spoke. Another inch closer and they would have been touching.

"I may not know a lot Beth but I know one thing" He was oblivious to the fact Tariq and Sarah were watching him.

"Oh and what would that be?" She tilted her head and smiled slightly.

"Nothing on Earth could make me let you down. I'm not going anywhere" Beth closed her eyes as he spoke. She really wanted to believe him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tariq sipped his vodka and red bull as he cast an eye towards the subjects of Operation Mistletoe. He had to admit they seemed to be doing ok without his interference. The pair were clearly besotted with each other. The youngest member of the team actually began to wonder if his meddling hadn't been needed at all. The Black Eyed Peas suddenly exploded from the disco as Dimitri cheered. Malcolm and Harry both winced as Fergie announced it would be a "Good good night". Everyone turned and laughed as Dimitri took a bow.

"Just call me DJ Spooky" He laughed. Beth rolled her eyes as Zoe and Ruth exchanged glances. Only Harry knew they were thinking of a time long before Dimitri had ever joined Section D. Zoe looked at the floor briefly as Zaf touched her arm.

"Zo?"

"Just thinking, that's all" She smiled. Silently she wished Danny a Merry Christmas, wherever he was.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The party was beginning to wind down. Zoe had been dancing with Zaf for a while as Adam tried and failed to get Carrie to join the dance floor. She was in no mood for dancing. Neither was Ros. She was exhausted and sat with her head on Lucas' shoulder. She rested her hand on her abdomen as Malcolm placed a drink in front of Adam.

"Never fails to amaze me" He smiled as Adam raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Ros and Lucas. Well Ros mainly, who would have thought the Ice Queen of Section D would be happily married with children?" He almost whispered.

"I know, strange how things work out" Adam tool a sip of his larger. Carrie raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed" Malcolm glanced across at Ruth and Harry who were sat a little way from the rest of the group, deep in conversation.

"Right!" Beth walked in to the middle of the room "Secret Santa!" A chorus of groans went up through the room as Stan, Sarah and Carrie all laughed. For a room full of spies they were woeful at hiding what they all felt at times. Harry shook his head as Ros tried to look interested. Lucas squeezed her hand.

"First up is Tariq!" Beth handed him the small parcel. He smiled before opening it.

"Ah that's well smart" He smiled as he opened the toy transformer. Zaf couldn't help but laugh. The techies was such a geek, no doubt he would have hours of fun trying to get the toy car to turn in to something else. "Thanks"

"Now Dimitri" Dimitri looked quite pleased with his Guns n Roses CD. Beth smiled; she knew she had made the right choice.

"Zoe" She handed Zoe the small package which contained a bottle of perfume. She smiled at Zaf, knowing he was the only one that knew name of the perfume she liked. He shrugged as she kissed his cheek. An hour later the party was beginning to wind down. Sarah took Malcolm's hand as they said their goodbyes.

"So, you liked your present then?"

"Yes, I think young Tariq did well" He wrapped his arm around her as they left the pub. "Umm, wonder what the others got" He stared absentmindedly along the street. Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you see? Adam got a 007 action figure, James Bond!" She laughed "I think that was Ros trying to be sarcastic. Zaf had laughed as Adam had rolled his eyes. Carrie and Ros had both smiled. "Zaf got socks with stud muffin written on them"

"Ah Zoe" Malcolm laughed.

"Harry got a CD, something classical I think and Lucas and Ruth both got notebooks. I think Ros got something for the baby"

"Ah that's nice" Malcolm laughed.

"What about Beth? After all it was her idea." Malcolm had taken to the newest recruit. She was a breath of fresh air to the team.

"I didn't see. A photo frame I think. She kissed Dimitri on the cheek so I think she knew he bought it for her"

"Oh" Malcolm hugged Sarah to his side as they walked home.

**a/n not much happened here I know, but there is one more chapter. Christmas Day, after the party is still to come. What happened to our not so friendly bomb makers? What happened to Juliet and Alec and Operation Mistletoe? More very soon. Even if you hate this chapter please review. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Morning After**

Ruth screwed her eyes closed as the light hit her eyes. For a moment she wanted to kill Harry for opening the curtains. It was far too early to be thinking about getting out of bed when you didn't have to. She buried her head in her pillow as she heard her husband laugh at her.

"Well, aren't you full of festive cheer this morning?" He slipped back in bed as Ruth groaned.

"What time is it?" She opened her eyes slowly as if judging whether or not it was a wise move. Harry smiled as he checked his watch.

"Just before 8"

"Eight!" Ruth opened her eyes "Harry, it is Christmas Eve! Why are we even awake?"

"Ruth, it is just before eight o clock. It is the first Christmas where I haven't had someone wanting to kill me or one of my team. I thought it was worth celebrating" He ran his hand over her hip as Ruth sighed. She rested a hand on his chest as he spoke.

"Mm, I still can't quite believe the police picked up Ricky Mitchell for speeding of all things" She smiled as Harry began drawing circles on her lower back.

"Ruth" He sighed as she met his eye. She would never understand how Harry could be such a morning person. Years of getting up at ridiculous times of the day hadn't turned her in to a morning person so she didn't blame Harry's ability to jump out of bed early in the morning on the army training and decades in MI 5. "It is five to eight on Christmas Eve morning. We are in bed. How can you possibly be thinking about work?" She smiled as he pulled her to him and kissed her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas woke up as a foot connected with his face. For a moment he had no idea where he was. Then Amy started wriggling again as Ros stood in the doorway of the bedroom. The light streamed through the curtains as Lucas tried to remove Amy's foot from his face as Ros smiled at the pair.

"Who's idea was it to have her in bed with us last night?" Lucas rubbed his eye as Amy woke up. He was amazed someone as small as his daughter could not only take up all the room in the bed but also kick out with the force she had. He was certain she had just given him a black eye. Amy giggled as she saw Lucas stick his tongue out at her. "Morning Trouble" He smiled at her as she rolled. Amy smiled as she saw both her parents.

"She was crying" Ros sighed as Amy put her arms up to her. It was then she noticed the extra ring on her wedding finger. Lucas smiled as Ros looked down at her hand, obviously slightly puzzled.

"A ring?" She looked at Lucas as Amy rested her head on her shoulder. Lucas smiled.

"Your powers of observation are outstanding. I can see why Harry made you Section Chief" He watched as she raised her eyebrows.

"An eternity ring?" She stared at the small gold band with red stones. Amy reached out and tugged on her hand, as if trying to get a better look at the ring.

"Yes" Lucas finally got out of bed and crossed the room to her. "Eternity, as in forever. Because after everything thats what you've got me for. If you want me that is" He watched as she closed her eyes. Amy rested her head back on her mother's shoulder.

"You know it is Lucas" Ros bit her bottom lip as Lucas kissed her cheek.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Grid was still a building site, although Adam had to admit it wasn't as bad as he had imagined. The pods worked, after a fashion and the window was boarded up, giving the place a depressing feel. He sat down at his desk as he looked at all the broken glass and debris that still covered the place.

"What a tip" he shook his head as Harry crossed to him. He had been in his office for a couple of hours when he noticed Adam had arrived.

"I thought I made it clear that no one was to be on the Grid until the building work was completed" He sat on the edge of Lucas' desk as Adam nodded.

"Why are you here then?"

"It was a direct order" Harry had half expected one of the team to turn up. He had thought it would be either Ruth or Ros. He hadn't thought Adam would have broken the no Grid rule.

"Yeah" Adam nodded "look Harry, it was too easy. The Fisher brothers and Mitchell went to alot of trouble over this. Ok, Carl Fisher was out on licence. Getting him back in prison was the easy bit but the others? If they were so hell bent on revenge?" He shook his head as he dropped the file he was reading on his desk.

"If they were so hell bent on revenge why am I still alive? Why is Henry and Juliet still here?" Harry asked the question Adam hadn't wanted to finish.

"Yeah"

"We got lucky. Henry called earlier, he's fine. Got the first train he could back to Newcastle, staying with his daughter Lucy and her kids for Christmas" Harry shoved his hands in his pockets.

"So why are you here?" Adam changed the subject. "Thought you had family staying with you and Ruth this Christmas?"

"Yes" Harry sighed "Your mother get here ok?"

"Yeah" Adam winced, he could almost picture Eleanor Carter telling Carrie and Wes what was what. She had a certain way of taking charge and the ex spook knew what she was doing. He shook his head, it wasnt until he had been twice Wes' age that he had found out the exact circumstances of Eleanor's escpae from Israel. She was a tough woman. "So why are you here?"

Harry sighed, his ideal Christmas Eve would have been to let work be and spend the day with Ruth, preferably in bed but it just couldn't be. Staring directly at Adam he sighed.

"Because I just can't believe we got that lucky" He folded his arms as he addressed the younger man. "As you say the arrests, getting Lucas, Henry and Ruth back as easily as we did, then the arrests. Even stopping the bomb was far too easy. And we still don't know how they got it on the Grid"

"Yeah, Stan isn't too happy about that" Adam remembered the security guard swearing and shouting when he found out it. He leant back in his chair. There was no clue as to how the Christmas tree lights had been turned in to a timer while the fire escape door had been booby trapped. It bothered Adam as much as it bothered Harry. Both men fell silent as the pod door limped open.

"Well?" Ruth smiled slightly as Harry rolled his eyes.

"Ruth, it's Christmas Eve!" Adam laughed as Ruth shrugged.

"Really? I hadn't noticed. Oh and what happened to the Grid being out of bounds until the 28th?" She sat at her desk as both men laughed "Oh God, have you seen the state of the computers? Malcolm and Tariq are not going to be happy"

"Oh God, she's right" Adam stared at her as she smiled. "We'll have to at least try and get their stations back to normal" Ruth watched as Harry pulled a face. He had no idea what passed for normal on the techie's station. Ruth couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, well I'll be in my office if you need me" He turned and walked away as Adam stared at his friend's desk, with absolutely no idea how to sort out the tangled mess of wires and gadgets that the bomb squad had thrown on Malcolm's desk in their haste to get to the bomb. Ruth shook her head as she tried and failed to get her own computer to boot up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was much later when Beth realised her mobile phone was bleeping. She had a text message but was reluctant to see who it was off. She sat in her living room thinking about the case and the previous night's party. _Oh God, what have I done? Bailey you are a prize idiot._ She admonished herself as she turned the television on. The phone bleeped again. Beth ignored it again. _Everyone was there. Harry was there, Ros and Lucas were there. EVERYONE saw me acting like a drunken tart. Great career prospects now._ She buried her head in a cushion as she tried and failed to block the previous night's events. She had kissed Dimitri. She had actually kissed him under the mistletoe. She buried her head further in to the cushion as the phone rang. _Oh God, I have to answer that._

_"Hello"_

"Beth, why aren't you answering your texts?" Dimitri sounded worried.

"I thought this was a red flash. Are we needed in work?" Beth decided it was best to keep things strictly professional.

"Nah" Dimitri walked towards the block of flats she lived in. The snow was worse than ever, there was no way he was going to drive across London. "I just thought I'd see how you are"

"Thanks, I'm fine" Beth could feel herself blushing._ Stop being so stupid, he can't see you._

"Good, thats good" Dimitri smiled. He was out of practice where women were concerned and he knew he was about to ruin things with Beth. They were friends, colleagues and he had thought something more, but the way she had reacted after he had kissed her under the mistletoe made it clear he had been wrong. _It was only a peck on the cheek. Ok but so what? I kissed Zoe the same way. I kissed Ruth the same way. Oh yeah and Harry saw that, I bet I can expect a secondment to Debra Langham's office now._ He winced at the thought.

"Yeah" Beth answered. "Oh Dim, I have to go. Someone is at the door" She hung up the phone and bounced off the sofa, glad of the distraction. Dimitri smiled as she opened the door to face him.

"Hi"

"Dimitri!" She shook her head.

"You didn't answer the texts. I was worried" He tried his best charm smile as Beth shook her head. "Come on. I'll buy breakfast"

Beth couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed her coat and followed him.

xxxxxxxxxx

Zaf sat in the car as Zoe collected Emma from her parent's house. He knew Mr and Mrs Reynolds knew about him but he had decided to wait in the car. Zoe's father was a little intimidating when it came to his only daughter. He supposed he would be the same in her father's shoes. After all they had not seen their only child for almost five years.

"Hiya" Emma jumped in the back.

"Did you have a good time with Grandma and Grandpa?" Zaf asked as Zoe got in the passenger seat and waved to her mum.

"Yeah" Emma sounded exhausted. "Grandpa was talking about you and Mum"

"Oh was he now?" Zoe dreaded to think what he had said. Emma was like a sponge, she soaked up every piece of information she heard. Zoe wasn't sure if it was because of her age or the fact she was the daughter of a spook. It was clear she had a way of getting information out of people. Zaf smiled slightly as he drove back to Zoe's house, glad that he had remained sober the night before.

"He said, well that Younis boy is better for her than that dick she married. Mum, what's a dick?" Emma asked innocently as Zaf began laughing. Zoe turned a funny shade of crimson as she turned in her seat.

"Ah Em, how about we go and see if Father Christmas is in the high street?" She knew she was going to have to have a strong word with her father. Zaf shook his head as he drove towards town.

"Ok" She smiled as Zoe began to wonder if she been had.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**a/n ok not the last chapter. Have maybe two left. Then I think I will be on the New Year fic I have been thinking of. (If anyone is interested it may involve Ros' new baby, Ruth undercover and Zoe and Zaf getting in to bother) Please let me know what you think.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer not mine**

Christmas Ghosts and Burnt Offerings.

Harry watched as Scarlet run around the small garden, she was completely mesmerised by the snow that had fallen overnight. The garden looked like a winter wonderland to the small dog and she was keen to investigate. Fidget and Muggles had been much more discerning and stayed in the kitchen. There was no way they were getting their paws wet. He laughed at the little dog as he suddenly realised it was the first heavy snow in London since Catherine was a baby. He smiled again as he remembered her reaction to seeing snow for the first time. She had been suitably unimpressed. He called Scarlet back in doors as he realised the small dog was shivering. Harry took pity on the small terrier and scooped her up in his arms.

"I think everyone else has the right idea, c'mon girl lets get you inside" He turned with the small dog shivering in his arms. He was waiting for the kettle to boil as Scarlet lay in front of the fire trying to get warm when he realised he was no longer alone in the kitchen. Ruth was stood behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist.

"Merry Christmas" She whispered as she kissed the back of his neck. Harry turned to face her.

"Merry Christmas. I thought you were still asleep" He watched as she pouted slightly.

"Mm" She smiled as he kissed her "I was"

"Ruth, it's early."

"I know, what time did we get home last night?" Ruth couldn't help but yawn.

"Well after I finally kicked Adam out it was about 7 so after everything I think we got home about midnight. Not too bad for us" He kissed her hair as she rested her head against his collar bone.

"And it's 6 am now. Harry, why are we awake?" Ruth groaned as he held her.

"My fault, but then most things are I find"

"Yes" Ruth pulled back "So it's a good job I love you"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth woke later than she could remember doing so for a long time. It was Christmas Day and she had absolutely nothing planned. Well, nothing apart eating a giant bar of Dairy Milk and watching Top of the Pops. Sighing she rolled on to her back and stared at the ceiling as the news on Talk Sport announced that half the country was covered in snow. She groaned as she realised she was on call. She'd pulled the short straw along with Tariq and Dimitri. All three had to be available should the terrorists decide not to have a day off. She couldn't help but smile as she thought of the SBS man, there was definitely something there she just didn't know what.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dimitri answered the phone without even opening his eyes. He had no intention of getting out of bed until he had to. The flat was too cold and he couldn't really face getting out of bed.

"Mum! Hello! Merry Christmas" He sat up rubbing his eyes as he listened to his mother tell him all about the festivities he was missing. At least three of his sisters and nephews had arrived. He was suddenly glad he had to stay close to the Grid and was missing the family meal. Although he loved his mother dearly he didn't really get along with his older sister Hannah. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of how he was 32 and still single. As if being single at 32 was such a crime.

"Yeah Mum"

"New Year?" He sighed, knowing he would have to see his family at some point. "I'll see. Work is a bit crazy this time of year" He paused as he listened to his mother telling him about her friend's daughter who was still single and only a year younger than him. Apparently the friend's daughter was called Shauna and was very keen to meet him. Dimitri was horrified at his mother's blatant attempt at matchmaking. He knew he had to think fast.

"Ah Mum, the thing is I am sort of seeing someone. Met her at work. Could I bring her?" He could almost see his mum jumping up and down. The moment the words left his mouth he prayed Beth would help out. He knew asking her would be an awkward conversation.

Ten minutes later Dimitri was in the shower trying to think of how he could ask her. He also prayed the various terrorist groups they were monitoring observed Christmas and let them all have a day off. At least the hot water cleared his head after the bottle of wine he had shared with Beth the day before. He let the hot water run down his back as he thought about how he could face his family if Beth refused to lie for him. Or was it really such a lie? He decided the only way to go was to get dressed and ring Beth.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas sat on the floor as the BBC news ran another story about snow chaos. He smiled as he watched Amy stare at the pile of presents under the tree. So far she had unwrapped a rag doll and an outfit his brother had sent her. She seemed more interested in the paper rather than the toys it contained. Ros curled up on the sofa nursing a mug of tea as she watched the pair sat on the carpet. Amy was still a little too young to understand the concept of Christmas and Santa but that didn't put her off deciding the packaging was more fun than the toys.

"I told you" Ros smiled as Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Mum!" Amy waved the paper and gave Ros a grin, her bottom tooth made her grin a little less gummy than it had been a few days earlier. Lucas rested his head on the sofa as Amy toddled over.

"Paper" Ros watched as Amy raised an eyebrow before debating whether or not to throw it.

"Amy" Ros held the toddler's gaze. It was slightly disconcerting to be met with a miniature version she had patented. Lucas looked from Amy to Ros and back again before shaking his head. Both the women in his life were as stubborn as each other. He could just see the arguments that would occur when Amy hit her teens. Amy narrowed her eyes before deciding her mum was going to win and flopped on to her bottom with a thud. She handed the paper to her father.

"Thank you Trouble" He smiled and winked at her as Amy laughed. Ros closed her eyes for a moment, it was clear Amy was always going to be able to wrap her father around her little finger. Amy rewarded him with a smile before toddling over to Ros with her arms up.

"Ok, ok" Ros picked her up and kissed her hair as Amy laughed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth answered the mobile on the first ring. She knew there was only one person she really wanted to talk to that morning. She stared at the television in the corner as she realised who was on the other end of the phone.

"Hi Dim"

"Beth, hi" He paused "look, I need you"

He cleared his throat as Beth's heart almost stopped in her chest at the shock of his words. She took a deep breath and rested her head on one hand. Her blonde hair flopped in her face as she forced herself to listen to Dimitri.

"What's wrong?"

"My mother is trying to set me up with one of her friend's kids" He paused before outlining what he had told Mrs Levandis. Beth laughed.

"Ok firstly Sailor Boy you owe me for this. And I mean seriously owe me, understood" he listened and she could almost see him nodding in her mind's eye. "Secondly think about what you do for a living, just lie to her. Tell her you can't go to her party and that you are not the male equivalent of Bridget sodding Jones"

"Beth, my mother is a Greek Cypriot immigrant that fought to stay in the UK in the 70's. She has six children, not even Harry could lie to her and get away with it. I'm the youngest but one of six and all the others have married and are producing enough kids to populate Western Europe. So I am the family failure. Please Beth, just get me through New Years Day without my sister and mother breathing down my neck. I'll do all your on calls in January and your paperwork if you help" He laid his head back on the sofa as he waited for her answer.

"Ok, where and when?" Beth decided she had made him suffer enough. She was secretly looking forward to playing the dutiful girlfriend. After all it made a nice change from Russian hooker or chambermaid.

"Mum and Dad's New Year's Day"

"Ok, we better start on my legend. Cant have your parents think we met on a Somali boat taken over by pirates with me playing a Russian hooker and you captaining a ship that you weren't while Lucas was there to assassinate a known AQ asset" She smiled down the phone.

"Ah yeah maybe not tell the entire truth" He laughed.

"Do you want to come over? I could cook" Beth had left the living room as she talked and was looking in her almost empty fridge. _Cook? Yeah Beth but what? Manky lettuce and slightly green cheese? Oh nice._ She screwed her nose up as she sniffed the milk. Beth Bailey was not domesticated in the least.

"I'll come over, but I'll cook. Bailey, you could cremate water" Beth laughed as she hung up the phone. It was going to be a good Christmas; it was the first time since she had lost her parents that she was looking forward to the rest of the day.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm checked his phone, half expecting to be red flashed. Sarah was on the phone to her brother in Cardiff. He heard her promise that they would visit Cardiff some time in the New Year. He stood in the doorway slightly amazed that his life had changed so much. Some ill advised comment to Tariq had resulted in Ruth tracking down Sarah and he realised he couldn't be happier. He shook his head, almost heartbroken that not only was his best friend no longer there to see how happy he was, he knew Colin would have loved Sarah but his mother's dementia was so advanced she would not even be able to remember him let alone know about his fiancée.

"Malcolm" Sarah brushed her fringe away from her eyes as she smiled at him. Exhaustion made the welsh lilt in her voice all the more obvious. He returned the smile.

"Just thinking"

"Need I ask what about?" She blushed as she walked towards him.

"Only how lucky I am to have you back in my life. How I never really thanked Tariq and Ruth and how much I love you" He blushed as Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Fy Cariad" she whispered as she kissed him. He sighed as she pulled away. "Come on, your Mam will be waiting for us"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth swore loudly as Harry appeared in the kitchen doorway. She was clearly a little stressed at the thought of cooking Christmas dinner. She had already sent Catherine and Graham out of her way. It was Catherine's wide eyes and slightly worried expression that sent him looking for her. The water boiling on the hob boiled over as she tried and failed to get the pan off the hob. Ruth swore as hot water splashed on to her skin. Yelping in pain she ran her hand under the cold tap."Ruth?" Harry was behind her in seconds, holding her hand under the water.

"I just wanted today to go well" Ruth hissed as the cold water hit her skin.

"I know" He held her wrist in place as he kissed her neck. His body practically pinned her to the sink. Not for the first time Ruth wondered how it was possible for Harry to be so different away from work. Husband Harry was very different to Section Head Harry.

"Oh and I think it is you that needs to wear a cowbell if you insist on sneaking up on me while I'm cooking" He laughed at her words.

"Ruth" He kissed her neck again "I am a spook. I need to practice my stalker skills" He almost purred the words in her ear.

"I just wanted us to have a lovely day, especially with Catherine, Graham and Charlie here" She rested her head back on his shoulder as Harry hugged her to him and kissed the skin on her neck where her t shirt had slipped.

"It is" Both jumped as Scarlet and Muggles ran through the kitchen. Fidget clearly couldn't be bothered to take part in the chase and strolled behind the pair. "Everyone is together, we are all relatively alive and so far Catherine and Graham haven't started fighting. Even Graham and I are managing to be civil to each other. Charlie seems happy enough" He smiled as he thought of the baby who seemed completely amazed by the whole idea of Christmas.

"Dinner may not be the best. I know Jane was a good cook but turkey really isn't my forte" She sighed.

"Ruth, if I wanted a domestic goddess I'd have married Nigella Lawson. I want you" He made her skin tingle as he spoke. "I love you, burnt carrots and all"

"Carrots!" Ruth jumped out of his arms as the smoke alarm began to sound. Harry laughed, _Ruth may be the best analyst in the world _he thought _but she is certainly the world's worst cook._

"Harry! Help me!" She opened the oven door as a cloud of smoke escaped. The turkey looked more like a roasted budgie and all Harry could do was laugh. Both turned to see Graham leaning on the door as Catherine tried to hit the off button on the smoke alarm with her umbrella.

Graham held his ribs as he laughed "Pizza anyone?" Ruth rolled her eyes as Harry tried and failed to stifle his giggles.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf stared out the window as Emma climbed up on the chair next to him. "Did father Christmas bring you something nice?" The five year old was always full of questions. Zaf smiled.

"Yes Emma"

"Mum says we're going to Granma's later and she is going to have a word with Gramps"

"Yeah" He felt a little sorry for Mr Reynolds at that point.

"Where are you going?" Emma

"To see my parents, Em. I told you my sister and the others will be there" He watched as the little girl straightened her High School Musical top.

"Yeah. You've got lots of sisters and brothers. I'd like a baby brother or sister. I asked Father Christmas"

"Oh" Zaf couldn't help but blush.

"EMMA!" Zoe yelled as Emma sighed. She got down from the chair before running off to see what Zoe wanted. It was then Zaf glanced back at the glass. He smelled the familiar scent as she stared at the faded reflection of Jo in the glass.

"Thanks for the flowers" She smiled "Daisies were always my favourite." He rolled his eyes. Jo knew he'd been to the cemetery with Ruth two days earlier. He didn't ask how.

"Look Zaf, stop stalling if you want to be with her, make sure she knows it. Zoë's had enough rubbish with her ex she's nervous about you and her. Emma loves you. It's supposed to happen. Don't compare it to Adam and Fiona. That isn't you. Oh I'm glad Tariq worked out the Christmas tree bomb. Merry Christmas Zaf" She smiled. Zaf knew when he looked away she's be gone.

"Merry Christmas Jo" He sighed as he closed his eyes. She was right, he knew it. If he wanted to be with Zoe permanently he had to make sure she knew it.

"Zoe!" He turned and made his way back to the living room. Jo stepped back in to the shadows. She knew she would always be the ghost that looked out for Section D. It was the way things were now, but she guessed just this Christmas the spooks could manage without their friendly ghost.

**A/N Thats all folks. Hope you enjoyed this, more stories in the New Year. Please review, even if you hate it. Shall I write Beth and Dimitri's visit to his parents house? New Years Eve on the Grid sounds interesting!**


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